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17 August 2020 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Pierce van Heerden
Burneline Kaars says the annual Women’s Breakfast event will honour all the remarkable women who are working from home while managing added family responsibilities.

Women of the UFS, and now also elsewhere in South Africa, can look forward to yet another Women’s Breakfast event to commemorate National Women’s Day. The event will be coordinated by the Division of Organisational Development and Employee Wellness. 

Burneline Kaars, Head of the division, says this year’s event will look a bit different from past events, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The virtual event will be interactive and engaging, with a balance of serious topics and light-hearted humour. 

The theme of the event is ‘From surviving to thriving’. Kaars says they will be honouring all the remarkable women for their ability to thrive despite ongoing difficulties. 

And with guest speaker duo, Shaleen Surtie-Richards and Hannes van Wyk – who will charm and dazzle attendees – this is definitely an event not to be missed.

“We will also relate experiences of strength and resilience that every woman can draw upon, as well as provide additional entertainment with musical productions performed by local Bloemfontein artists,” adds Kaars.

Not only UFS women, but women across South Africa are invited to join the Division of Organisational Development and Employee Wellness for this year’s UFS Women’s Breakfast on:

Date: 20 August 2020
Time: 09:00-11:00

The event is free of charge, but the audience will have the opportunity to pledge any amount towards the fight against gender-based violence.

Any interested parties can register via this link. The Organisational Development and Employee Wellness team is looking forward to seeing you online


Inspiration integral part of Kaars’ life …

Kaars, who is married with two children, says her family are her biggest fans. “They are my strength in pursuing my goals and dreams and they inspire me to be bold.” Meditation, ambition, and music also serves as inspiration for Kaars, a dynamic woman who leads the Division of Organisational Development and Employee Wellness with a smile in her eyes. “My quiet time in the early mornings brings me to a place of being totally present and of dependence. It is during this time that I can just slow down and get new perspective on things.”

Kaars adds that ambition also keeps her going, even during bad days. For her, it means being eager to accomplish something, striving to reach her goals, and being determined to achieve what she set out to do and to do it enthusiastically.

But she believes the perspectives of others such as her family, close friends, and team members are important. “Their different perspectives, amount of energy, and their support of my ideas inspire me immensely,” she says.

On a creative level, Kaars says: “Music speaks to me in unique ways, and the ability to express yourself is very inspiring. The creativity it takes to make music amazes me in a wonderful way. I’ve been listening and enjoying music for as long as I can remember.”

 

News Archive

UFS and DRC Free State sign cooperation agreement
2013-11-27

The University of the Free State (UFS) recently signed a cooperation agreement for a period of five years with the DRC Free State. In this contract it is agreed that the university will offer theological training to DRC ministers.

With this agreement, the DRC Free State confirmed that the theological training currently offered by the Faculty of Theology meets the requirements and expectations of the church in such a way that her ministers can be trained within this context and ethos of the UFS. The Faculty of Theology believes that church involvement in the training of students of the DRC FS (as with all other churches), as well as the spiritual formation and guidance of those students, are important during their training and should be retained.

According to Prof Driekie Hay, Vice-Rector: Academic, the Faculty of Theology at the UFS is the only institution in Central South Africa that offers complete and comprehensive theological training.

“As the youngest of the faculties at the UFS, this faculty has developed a lot in a relatively short time and is firmly established on many levels. The faculty currently offers training in all theological disciplines, from undergraduate to PhD level,” says Prof Hay.

The Faculty of Theology offers a unique national and international contribution to the development of the church, society and academic theological environment. This is made possible through quality theological training and specialist research based on a framework of classical theological training and research.

The new cooperation agreement that was signed acknowledges the uniqueness and independance of both the DRC in the Free State and the Faculty of Theology as public institutions, and strives to serve the interests of both institutions best.

According to Prof Fanie Snyman, acting Dean of the Faculty of Theology, this new agreement proves that the UFS is not only training students academically, but is also concerned with the human aspect of its students.

“It is a privilege for the university to be associated and work together with the DRC in this way,” says Prof Hay. Rev Jan Lubbe, Moderator of the DRC Free State, also indicated that he is very positive and excited about the new agreement.

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