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02 March 2018 Photo Supplied
Student Wellness and Kovsie ACT provide food bank for students
The team from Student Wellness and Gift of the Givers

Student Wellness and Kovsie ACT, together with the Gift of the Givers Foundation, have joined forces in order to create a food bank for students who were previously disadvantaged. The food bank will consist of non-perishable food items up to the value of R400 per student. A formal assessment will be conducted by social worker Elizabeth Msadu, in order to ensure that students comply with the criteria identified by the Student Wellness Office, Kovsie ACT and the Gift of the Givers.
 
“Food insecurity in higher education institutions is a painful reality. We want to use the food bank as an instrument to assist students in their times of difficulty,” said Annelize Visagie from Student Wellness.

Gift of the Givers is the biggest disaster-response NGO in Africa. It is well known for providing lifesaving aid on the continent in the form of search and rescue teams, medical personnel, medical equipment, medical supplies, medicines, vaccines, high-energy and protein supplements, as well as food and water to millions of people in 43 countries, South Africa included.

Annelize explained that the university’s relationship with the Gift of the Givers was induced by Yolande Korke, author of the book, “558 Days”, who works with the UFS on an ad hoc basis. To find out more about the food-bank and other services provided by Student Wellness please contact Annelize on 051 401 3258 or visit the Health and Wellness Facebook page.

News Archive

Miss South Africa is a Kovsie
2014-03-31


Rolene Strauss
Images:
www.facebook.com/#!/MsSouthAfrica

“Rolene Strauss is an example of physical beauty, academic excellence and public duty coming together in one person,” said Prof Jansen.

Twenty-one-year-old Rolene Strauss, a third-year medical student at the University of the Free State (UFS), was crowned as Miss South Africa at a gala event at Sun City the weekend. Rolene was also the favourite on Twitter.

In her acceptance speech, Rolene said that she dearly loves South Africa. “This is where I can live, speak, learn and love freely. This is where my dreams come true. I am very proud of our country and shall always have a purpose here. It is such a privilege to represent our wonderful country. Our future is bright and I can’t wait to represent South Africa nationally and internationally,” Rolene said.

“My passion for health will definitely form a big part of my year, together with the initiatives of the sponsors,” she said.

Rolene said that Prof Jonathan Jansen, the Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS, is an inspiration to her. “He stands up for what he believes in and enjoys what he is doing. He wants the best for his students and supports them in everything they do,” she said.

“Thanks to the support of the UFS and Prof Jansen, I am able to stop my studies for a year and continue after my Miss South Africa year. I am who I am today because of the people around me – and that definitely includes Kovsies. I see the university as a garden in which I can flower,” she said.

The university community is very proud of Rolene, and it is confirmed by Prof Jansen. “I am extremely proud of Rolene Strauss, for she has proved that physical beauty, academic excellence and public duty can come together in one person, and offer a powerful platform for transforming communities in need that would otherwise remain invisible, were it not for such a wonderful young role model,” he said.

On the year which lies ahead, Rolene said: “It will be a year during which I shall give back, say thank you and be a good example of the potential that especially women and South Africans may have in our country.”

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