Vision
By ensuring that poor and academically strong students receive the basic nutrition they need to perform well, we enable them to drive systemic change with us once they graduate.
Aims
Support poor students with a food bursary which will increase their chances of completing their studies
Ensure that these students receive much needed psycho-social support while studying
Track students’ academic performance to identify possible challenges in their early stages
Description of the need
Research conducted by the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics and others has indicated that 59% of the student population suffers from food insecurity. Many of these students eventually drop out of higher education because of the need to earn an income.
Further studies confirm that insecurity is a reality among university students. The South African Surveys of Student Engagement (SASSE) Annual Report 2016 indicated that 77% of first-generation students ran out of food without being able to afford food for the rest of the month. These are often students with strong academic records, but without adequate funding for regular meals.
The difference this project makes
The No Student Hungry (NSH) programme provides food insecure students with modest food allowances and daily access to one balanced meal. Criteria for selection include financial need, academic performance, participation in student life programmes and a commitment to give back to the community. Students can focus on their studies without worrying about their next meal, thus increasing their chances to excel academically and ultimately obtain their degrees. This, in turn, has a positive effect on poverty reduction in our country.
By supporting the No Student Hungry Bursary programme you will enable inspiring young leaders to change the reality we will live in, our future. This food bursary solves one daily problem for students who are at the UFS to obtain their degrees, but in the long term, it can help us to overcome some of the greatest challenges our country is facing. Be part of a programme that prioritises educated leaders, economic growth and high standards of social welfare.
Budget
The NSH programme aims to assist at least 150 students per annum with meals for the entire year.
| Cost per student 2018 for a year: | R40 per day x 185 | = | R7 400 |
| 150 students for a year | R7 400 x 150 | = | R1 110 000 |