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19 October 2018 Photo Anja Aucamp
Itumeleng Tsatsi - Using Occupational Therapy to tackle mental health
“Every opportunity you get is a chance that leads you to your goals, making the best of it; a journey of a thousand steps begins with just one.” - Itumeleng Tsatsi
Polokwane-born Itumeleng Tsatsi, junior lecturer in Occupational Therapy at the University of the Free State (UFS), pledged to improve the quality of life of South African citizens through her study and practice of Occupational Therapy.

Itumeleng Tsatsi was named in the Mail and Guardian Top 200 list of South Africans under the age of 35 who have done exceptional work in their fields, aiming to uplift their society.

Tsatsi explained that working as a clinician at the Thabamoopo Psychiatric Hospital in Lebowakgomo, Limpopo, lit a fire in her that was charged at dissociating and destigmatising the views that people associate with the term ‘mental health’.  Her focus as an occupational therapist zooms mostly into tackling mental-health issues and the injustices faced by people, making use of the services offered in the system.

World Mental Health Day is observed on 10 October every year, with the overall objective of raising awareness of mental-health issues around the world, and mobilising efforts in support of mental health. Tsatsi elaborated that one of the many challenges she faced in clinical practice, was the constructed theories of mental health that were too westernised and did not meet the needs of South African populations, particularly in the rural areas. Her aim is to create a niche area in academia and train occupational therapists to care for their citizens on a practical basis and not only through textbook guidelines that aren’t entirely applicable to the South African context.

With October being Mental Health Awareness Month, Tsatsi further highlighted that she wants to optimise the training of Occupational Therapy students at the UFS by ensuring that their attitude towards mental health as a specialisation in their field is a positive one, due to the growing number of South Africans subjected to mental-health issues today. 

Furthermore, her study aims to empower mental-healthcare users to speak up about their experiences in mental-health institutions, to aid their reintegration into communities and create supportive environments where they can equally contribute to society. 

News Archive

New York academic pays visit to UFS
2010-08-02

 
 Prof. Teboho Moja, a professor of Higher Education at NYU, paid a successful visit to the UFS. Here are, from left: Mr John Samuel, Interim Director: International Institute for Studies in Race, Reconciliation and Social Justice, UFS; Dr Bryan Urbsaitis, Assistant-Director of Study Abroad, Pace University, USA; Prof. Moja; Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor, UFS; and Dr Olihile Sebolai, Directorate Research Development, UFS.
Photo: Arthur Johnson
 
Prof. Teboho Moja, a professor of Higher Education from New York University (NYU), paid a fruitful visit to the University of the Free State (UFS). During her visit Prof. Moja, who is originally from South Africa, engaged with various stakeholders to further strengthen relations between the UFS and NYU.

Prof. Moja’s research focus is on the change in higher education and the implications of globalisation on higher education systems. As part of her visit to the UFS, Prof. Moja delivered a public lecture, entitled “Diversity oriented transformation for Teaching and Learning”. The lecture was presented by the Directorate Research Development and the International Institute for Studies in Race, Reconciliation and Social Justice.

Prof. Moja studied at the University of the Witwatersrand and obtained her Doctorate in Philosophy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the United States of America (USA).

In 1998 she became the first black woman to be appointed as chairperson of the council of the University of South Africa (UNISA). She is also an honorary professor at the University of Pretoria (UP).

On her visit to the UFS Prof. Moja was accompanied by Dr Bryan Urbsaitis from Pace University in New York and Ms Gina Canterucci from NYU. She also led a group of postgraduate students in International Education Studies. These students interacted with fellows from the Grow Our Own Timber Programme of the UFS. The interaction greatly contributed towards enhancing both student groups’ acuity on academic and social matters.

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