Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Categories
UFS News Media Release Research
Years
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Months
February March April May June July August September October November December
Previous Archive
03 April 2019 | Story Xolisa Mnukwa | Photo Vhugala Nthakheni
Uhuru Qwaqwa Arrival
The #UFSWalkToUhuru team arrives at the UFS Qwaqwa Campus on Friday 22 March.

The University of the Free State (UFS) Division of Student Affairs, in collaboration with the UFS Office for International Affairs, have joined hands to drive a fundraising and student-accessibility initiative dubbed, ‘The Walk to Uhuru’ (#UFSWalktoUhuru), which is aimed at raising funds and advocating for the educational rights of the less privileged. 

The project aims to raise funds in excess of R2 million from the public and stakeholders affiliated with the UFS (Kovsie staff and students). The project derives from the 2018/2019 UFS Institutional Student Representative Council (ISRC) mandate ‘Students Must Graduate’. The ISRC mandate aims to source funding opportunities for UFS students to register, and to complete their studies across all three campuses in 2020 and beyond.

The first leg of the project, a 350 km walk from the Bloemfontein to the Qwaqwa Campus, has already taken place and concluded on Friday, 22 March 2019 as planned. The #UFSWalkToUhuru team successfully completed the first leg of their journey to academic freedom for financially disadvantaged students at the UFS. The Uhuru team is now focusing its attention on the second leg and is determined to take on Mount Kilimanjaro (Uhuru) from 20 June to 20 July 2019.

The team sat down for a debriefing session to unpack the overall experience and result of the first half of the initiative, and they all agreed that the walk to Qwaqwa was an enlightening experience. It was a walk that comprised learning opportunities, team building, and goal crushing.

According to Rethabile Motseki, member of the #UFSWalkToUhuru team, the walk to Qwaqwa made a significant impact on the project, as the university community is now aware of the significant goals that the team is trying to accomplish. The team has also resumed their fitness-training programme to ensure that they are ready to take on the Uhuru climb in June.

A media briefing will take place shortly (date to be confirmed) to detail the ongoing fundraising initiatives rolled out by the #UFSWalkToUhuru team.  We implore you, and the nation as a whole, to help establish a better future for disadvantaged UFS students by donating to the initiative.

Students, staff, and the public can support the cause and make contributions/donations to the initiative by visiting the UFS Walk to Uhuru #givengain account page.

For more information, contact UFS SRC President, Sonwabile Dwaba, on DwabaSJ@ufs.ac.za  or Rethabile Motseki on MotsekiR@ufs.ac.za  

Dr Martin Mandew, Qwaqwa Campus Principal
Dr Martin Mandew, Qwaqwa Campus Principal
#UFSWalktoUhuru arrives the Qwaqwa Campus
#UFSWalktoUhuru arrives the Qwaqwa Campus
Final day of #UFSWalktoUhuru 4
Final day of #UFSWalktoUhuru 4
Final day of #UFSWalktoUhuru 3
Final day of #UFSWalktoUhuru 3
Final day of #UFSWalktoUhuru 2
Final day of #UFSWalktoUhuru 2
Final day of #UFSWalktoUhuru
Final day of #UFSWalktoUhuru
#WalkToUhuru 10
#WalkToUhuru 10
#WalkToUhuru 9
#WalkToUhuru 9
#WalkToUhuru 8
#WalkToUhuru 8
#WalkToUhuru 7
#WalkToUhuru 7
#WalkToUhuru 6
#WalkToUhuru 6
#WalkToUhuru 5
#WalkToUhuru 5
#WalkToUhuru 4
#WalkToUhuru 4
#WalkToUhuru 3
#WalkToUhuru 3
#WalkToUhuru 2
#WalkToUhuru 2
#WalkToUhuru 1
#WalkToUhuru 1

News Archive

Qwaqwa Campus graduates encouraged to face the world with confidence
2015-05-14

 

Speech: Nikiwe Bikitsha 

The Qwaqwa Campus of the University of the Free State conferred over 800 degrees during this year's graduation ceremonies that were held on 8-9 May 2015. These included four PhDs in Natural and Agricultural Sciences.
 
The guest speaker, eNCA's Nikiwe Bikitsha, encouraged graduates to make it their business to learn about everything, no matter where they go.
 
''Having a qualification does not mean that now there will be tasks that are beneath you. No task should ever be too insignificant for you to do,'' said Bikitsha.
 
''You should make it your business to know every aspect of your work because that is where you get opportunities. Find somebody to help you along. Asking questions sharpens your skills and broadens your horizons. Asking questions also communicates to your employers and associates that here is someone who needs to be groomed and nurtured.'' she added.
 
In his congratulatory message, UFS Chancellor, Dr Khotso Mokhele, challenged the graduates to face the journey ahead with confidence.
 
''The journey ahead depends entirely on you, '' he said.
 
''You may think it depends on your parents, your country or the government. But the truth is that this is your journey. What is critical now is the kind of choices you are going to make. There will be stumbling blocks along the way, but you have to make it through,'' said Dr Mokhele.
 
''As the university'’, he continued, ''we hope you are going to make transformative choices that will impact positively on our people, our country and our continent''.
 
Dr Mokhele paid a special tribute to the four PhD graduates, three of whom matriculated at  local Qwaqwa schools, with the fourth matriculating at Mafahlaneng, Tweeling.
 
World-renowned composer and playwright, Dr Mbongeni Ngema, provided musical entertainment.
 
Both ceremonies were attended by community, business and traditional leaders in the Maluti A Phofung area.
 
Also in attendance were over 500 grade 12 learners from Qwaqwa, Kestell, Harrismith and Bethlehem schools.

Economic and Management Sciences

Education

Health Sciences

The Humanities

Law

Natural and Agricultural Sciences

Theology and Religion

Open Distance Learning

Business School

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept