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11 February 2019 | Story Mamosa Makaya | Photo Francois van Vuuren
Star of stars
Thabang Sithela from L.a Wesi Secondary School is the 2019 Star of Stars here with Nomonde Mbadi, Director of Student Recruitment Services.

The Star of Stars Awards is a spectacular annual event that recognises and celebrates excellence among Grade 12 learners from Quintile 1-3 schools in the Xhariep, Motheo and Lejweleputswa regions of the Free State province. The office of Student Recruitment Services held the award ceremony on 2 February 2019, at the University of the Free State’s (UFS), Bloemfontein Campus. In attendance were Grade 12 finalists and their parents, senior leadership of the UFS and sponsors of the event.

Awards programme drives excellence

Participants in the Star of Stars award programme are cultivated from schools located in some of the poorest communities in the province, where they are faced with difficult social circumstances. The top 20 are selected using their June and September matric results, and from these the top 10 are selected using the criteria of academics, leadership, and community engagement. This year’s top award was presented to Thabang Sithela from La Wesi Secondary school in Nyakallong, Allanridge. He is registered to study for a degree in Geochemistry in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences on the Bloemfontein Campus.

Accepting the top award Thabang encouraged other learners to remain steadfast “to be successful in life you have to remain positive, even in negative situations, so as not to find yourself remaining in that negativity”. The panel of judges comprised seven officials from various Bloemfontein-based organisations including the UFS, OFM and Kovsie Alumni Trust. The panel was chaired by Mar’c Scholtz of Brand Boss Creative, who praised the students for their unrelenting willpower in emerging top of their class. He further commended the office of UFS Student Recruitment Services led by Nomonde Mbadi, director of Student Recruitment Services, who conceptualised the programme in 2016, which has grown in leaps and bounds.

Fostering diversity and inclusion

The UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Francis Petersen, said one of the remaining challenges facing universities in South Africa is inequality, which permeates the circumstances of disadvantaged students when they join higher education institutions. He said the UFS aims to ensure that its student body is representative of society, with one of its goals being diversity and inclusivity. However, elements such as social class still hold students back. But despite this the students being awarded are a shining example of what it takes to beat the odds. “This is the most exciting time of your life, enjoy it,” Prof Petersen said.

The Star of Stars awards programme is holistic, empowering finalists with career counselling, mentorship, and guidance to campus life. The programme is key in incentivising students in the Free State to be high achievers, but most importantly to overcome their difficult circumstances, opening them up to greater opportunities in their student life and future careers.

2019 Free State Star of Star finalist
2019 Free State Star of Star finalist
Star of Stars Event
Star of Stars Event
More guest arriving for the 2019 Star of Stars event on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus
More guest arriving for the 2019 Star of Stars event on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus
Guest arriving for the 2019 Star of Stars event on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus
Guest arriving for the 2019 Star of Stars event on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus
Glamours evening for the 2019 Star of Stars
Glamours evening for the 2019 Star of Stars
Star of Stars on the stage.
Star of Stars on the stage.
Nomonde Mbadi with the Star of Stars, Thabang Sithela.
Nomonde Mbadi with the Star of Stars, Thabang Sithela.
Helen Namponya, Master of Ceremonies.
Helen Namponya, Master of Ceremonies.
Prof Francis Petersen, UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor
Prof Francis Petersen, UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor
Ilze Bakkes from UFS Student Recruitment Services hands over gift bags to the students.
Ilze Bakkes from UFS Student Recruitment Services hands over gift bags to the students.
Star of Stars 2
Star of Stars 2
Star of Stars
Star of Stars

News Archive

Neonatal Care Unit receives donation to expand capacity
2015-10-28

  

With the best care and technology available,
the survival rate of premature
babies is about 85%. The neonatal intensive
care unit at the Universitas hospital can now
expand its capacity thanks to a donation of
R1 million by the Discovery fund.
From the left is Prof André Venter.
Head: Department of Paediatrics and
Child Health at the UFS, and mrs Ruth Lewin,
Head: Corporate Sustainability at Discovery. 

The smallest people need the greatest care. This care is being provided by the neonatal unit in the Children’s Wing of the Universitas Hospital. This project of the University of the Free State (UFS), under the leadership of Prof Andre Venter, has led to several miracles regarding child health since its inception.

Now, thanks to a donation of R1 million rand from the Discovery fund, this unit can expand its capacity and treat more premature babies.

About 14% of babies in South Africa are born before the 37th week of pregnancy. These babies are born with a very low birth weight, and are in need of critical care. The neonatal intensive-care unit at Universitas Hospital is currently equipped to take care of about 14 premature babies at a time, from birth to discharge. However, because of the high incidence of premature births in the hospital’s service area, the unit needs about 45 beds.

The aim of the Children’s Wing Project is to expand the neonatal intensive-care unit in order to meet the demands of the hospital’s service area, which reaches as far as the Southern Cape. The Discovery Fund recently donated R1 million to the project, which will be used to expand the capacity of the neonatal intensive-care unit.

“With the best care and technology available, the survival rate of premature babies is about 85%. Without this, half of all premature babies would die,” says Prof Venter, Head: Department of Paediatrics and Child Health at the UFS.

“This is the reason why private and public partnerships, such as the one with Discovery, are essential to make specialised services available to the most vulnerable people. Discovery has made a significant contribution to the project without which we would not have been able to expand the capacity of the unit



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