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09 October 2019 | Story Xolisa Mnukwa | Photo Barend Nagel
Braille Signage
Big on Braille: Members of the Kovsie community who are living with visual impairments can now access directions through the new braille system.

The University of the Free State (UFS) commemorate World Sight Day, which is celebrated annually on the second Thursday of October. The day has been set aside and aimed at drawing attention to blindness and vision. This was originally initiated by the #SightFirstCampaign of the Lions Club International Foundation in 2000. 
The university aims to contribute to the development and social justice of all students through the production of globally competitive graduates. Thus, the development and implementation of co-curricular programmes, activities, services, and mutual infrastructure will allow for humanising daily lived experiences among students, which are essential for universal access, student academic success, social behaviour, engagement, and an inclusive institutional culture.

With this in mind, the university rolled out a capital project that included the construction of tactile pathways with braille indicators on the pathways, designed to support and caution pedestrians who are blind or visually impaired. The indicators are universally accessible, because it includes Braille and text. The text then gives indications to new students who are also struggling to find their way around campus.

A UFS Bachelor of Social Sciences student who dreams of becoming a social worker, Tshegofatso Nkatlholang, who was born partially blind, but is now completely blind is motivated by the prospect of living a life where she has the ability to help the less fortunate. Her opinion of the construction and implementation of the new tactile pathways on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus is that they are extremely helpful. She went on to say, “That is my road, and I am grateful for a university that strives to operate an inclusive infrastructural environment where I don’t feel sidelined.”
Kovsie student Keamogetswe Mbele was born partially blind with very low vision, eventually losing her eyesight. She explained that she had no knowledge of the newly built braille indicators on the tactile pathways, but that she felt appreciative of the university’s initiative to constitute an inclusive academic and infrastructural environment for all students on campus. Motivated by her personal goals of independence and financial freedom, ‘Kamo’, as her peers refer to her, is determined to live a prosperous academic life throughout the course of her studies at the UFS.

According to Mookgo Moloi, a Kovsie student who was not born blind but gradually lost her sight at the age of 15, said, “Life on campus is very caring”. She reflected on the opportunities, as well as the technical and emotional support that the Center for Universal Access and Disability Support (CUADS) has provided her, which has made her academic career a lot easier, and more advantageous for her to graduate. 
CUADS further strives to facilitate, create opportunities, and enhance students’ understanding of multiple intersections and ways of being that are consistent with human rights and the principles of social justice.




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Beste wense aan 6 Kovsies in Springbok Rugbyspan - Brief van die Rektor (Afrikaans)
2004-11-01

Gutro Steenkamp


Beste Gutro,
CJ van der Linde


Beste CJ,
Gerrie Britz


Beste Gerrie,
Juan Smith


Beste Juan,
Michael Claassen


Beste Michael,

Baie geluk uit ‘n feesvierende Kovsie-land! Ons is een en almal trots op jou insluiting in die Bokspan vir die komende toer en sien uit daarna om jou vordering dop te hou.

Ons hier op die Bult staan ‘n oomblik op en bring graag eer aan ons vyf Kovsies in die span – uit ‘n wenspan gekies tot ‘n wenspan.

Wees daarvan verseker dat ons deel van die pawiljoen uitmaak en julle in ons hart en gebede koester.

Beste wense!

Frederick C v N Fourie
Rektor en Visekanselier

2004-10-29


Dr Derik Coetzee
Menslike Bewegingskunde
 

Beste Derik

   

 

Jou insluiting as biokinetikus van die Springbok-rugbyspan na Engeland is ‘n bewys van die vertroue wat na die afgelope drie nasie reeks in jou gestel word. Baie geluk daarmee!

Dis besonders om te sien hoedat jy die Kovsie-visie van uitnemendheid uitleef.

Dis nie aldag dat Kovsies kan spog met 'n personeellid wat deel is van die Springbok-rugbyspan se ondersteuningsgroep nie, asook vyf (5) spelers wat in die span speel. Jy het jouself bewys as 'n waardige ambassadeur vir Kovsies. Ons is trots op jou.

Beste wense
 

Frederick CvN Fourie
Rektor en Visekanselier

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