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22 May 2018 Photo iStock
UFSAfricaWeek - Sharing a meal to celebrate Africa Day
Since the foundation of the Organisation of African Unity on 25 May 1963, the day has been renowned as Africa Day, celebrated widely across the world and particularly in Africa to signify Africa’s identity and unity.

As a build-up for Africa Day celebrations, the Student Representative Council’s (SRC) executive committee of the International Students Council collectively came up with the ‘Meal in a jar’ initiative. The purpose of this initiative is to reach out to the community, interact and promote unity as a way of celebrating Africa day. It is also to bring to life the sense of integration and inclusion for international students. “From the time one sets foot at the University of the Free State (UFS), the only community most of us will know is the UFS community,” said Andrei Tendai, the SRC International Students Council representative.
 
The international students’ council in collaboration with Elanja Children’s Initiative identified Heide Primary School in Heidedal for this project. Through the ‘Meal in a jar’ initiative, international students will have the opportunity to engage with the broader community outside the institution’s walls in a fun and unique way. Together with volunteers from House Kestell and other partners, the SRC on 24 May 2018 will prepare and share a meal in a jar with 130 learners.

“This project emphasises the efforts by the SRC to denote a significant shift from an attitude of international students’ isolation and exclusion, to an inclusive and open policy that encourages integration and the promotion of the right to equality,” said Tendai.
 
Celebrating Africa day is also about working towards an Africa that relies on the potential of its people, and whose development is people-driven especially for women, youth and children. 

For more information on this project, contact Sonya Kapfumvuti on 062 258 2776.

News Archive

Prof. Jansen is a "charmer", say students
2010-09-14

Prof. Jansen with Transport personnel.
Prof. Jansen with a B.Ed. student, Nokubonga Mdlalose.
Prof Jansen with Mr Samuel Mensah.
Prof Jansen with Sibusiso Macu, Sindiswa Masango, Mbali Phakathi and Masebabatso Mofokeng.
Prof. Jansen with Ms Mtombeni (in a white coat )

CHARMING, DOWN TO EARTH, STREEWISE … these are some of the words staff and students on the Qwaqwa Campus used to describe our Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Jonathan Jansen during his recent courtesy visit to the campus.

Prof. Jansen easily mingled and joined in conversations like a person who was acquainted to the groups of friends that he spoke to. Topics ranged from “girlfriends and boyfriends, how easy or difficult that course was, this and that party”, and of course serious academic talk.

“Prof. Jansen jokingly asked me about my white coat and whether I was a medical doctor. And when I answered that I am a cleaners’ supervisor, he became more interested in what I had to tell him,’ said Ms Dineo Mtombeni, a Maintenance Services supervisor.

“He continued to praise me and my colleagues for the cleanliness on campus and I must say he showed that he is a caring person, despite his position,” concluded Ms Mtombeni.

“I was happy to see Prof. Jansen chatting informally with students and staff. I asked him what he thought of our campus and he said he would know it better once he started teaching here once or twice a week,” said Mr Samuel Mensah, Economics lecturer.

“I then invited him to present some Economics classes and he roared with laughter about the difficulty of dealing with our micro and macro aspects of the subject and I asked him to keep it down as that would justify my students’ fear of the subject,” laughed Mr Mensah.

“He is a nice and friendly person,” said a 19-year-old Bachelor of  Commerce student Masebabatso Mofokeng.

“We shared a joke or two with him and it was one of our best experiences here on campus,” added friends, Sindiswa Masango (19) and Mbali Phakathi (19), who are also studying for their Bachelor of Commerce degrees.

A Bachelor of Education student, Nokubonga Mdlalose (20) described Prof. Jansen as a ‘charmer’.

“He is generous with his time, despite the high position that he occupies. He is approachable, friendly, charming, cool, calm and collected,” said Nokubonga.

“He asked me about my studies and I told him I wanted to make a difference in as far as teaching science is concerned. He was very interested in my Biology experiments and I am so glad I met him,” concluded Nokubonga.

– Thabo Kessah

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