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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

UFS Ground Studies Laboratory receives accreditation to international standard
2016-03-18

Description: IGS Tags: IGS

Lore-Mari Deysel, Deputy-Director of the institute for Groundwater Studies.
Photo: Charl Devenish

The Institute for Groundwater Studies (IGS) Laboratory at the University of the Free State is on equal footing with international testing labs. With its accreditation in March 2016 by SANAS (South African National Accreditation System), the IGS Laboratory now officially meets global standards.

Quality of water

The IGS Laboratory mainly analyses the quality of water samples. When it was originally established in 1989, the lab’s central function was to conduct testing for researchers at the institute itself. “After the public and water boards realised their need to analyse water samples, the IGS Laboratory expanded to deliver a service to these clients,” says Lore-Mari Deysel, Deputy-Director of the institute.

Since suppliers and regulatory authorities will not accept test or calibration results from a lab that is not accredited, the IGS initiated the accreditation process.

Accreditation to international standard


In order to be deemed technically competent and able to receive accreditation, labs must meet the ISO/IEC 17025 standard. ISO/IEC 17025 was first issued in 1999 by the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission).According to Deysel, this is the single most important standard for calibration and testing laboratories around the world.

“Laboratories that are accredited to this international standard have demonstrated that they are technically competent and able to produce precise and accurate test and/or calibration data. Furthermore, it demonstrates that the university has the capacity to supply valuable and reliable services alongside the academy,” Deysel says.

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