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UFS partners with local radio stations to address community issues

08 December 2020 | Story Dikgapane Makhetha | Photo Supplied

In response to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the Directorate: Community Engagement (CE) has initiated an innovative platform on which students can continue to engage with university community partners, and at the same time be assessed for their service-learning and community engagement projects.

The E-Engagement approach also meets the University of the Free State’s (UFS) strategic mandate to be a caring, responsive, and engaged university. Coordinated by the UFS CE office, academic staff and students are scheduled to engage with the community partners through radio broadcasts and virtual mode platforms. Informative content that has been researched, prepared, and presented by students in a pre-recorded format, will address significant issues brought about by the surge of COVID-19, creating a breeding ground for some of the societal ills, such as gender-based violence (GBV).

In order to establish sustainable relationships with community radio stations, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with two local community radio stations was signed on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus on 10 October 2020. Prof Puleng LenkaBula, the Vice-Rector: Institutional Change, Student Affairs, and Community Engagement, and Bishop Billyboy Ramahlele, CE Director, participated in the commitment to formalise the relationship between the UFS and the two radio stations, Mosupatsela FM and Motheo FM.

Master’s students from the Department of Psychology have produced and pre-recorded podcasts on community psychology. Their topics covered grief and self-compassion. The Department of Nutrition and Dietetics presented topics on a healthy lifestyle and diet. Fourth-year students from the School of Nursing have engaged new mothers concerning post-natal care. The School of Clinical Medicine has addressed the warning signs of burnout and preventative measures.

Bishop Ramahlele emphasised the importance of sustained relationship, which is expected to create further opportunities for interaction through partnerships in skills training (ICT) and the sharing of resources, including consultations through conference platforms. Prof LenkaBula highlighted the significance of the MOA by applauding the initiative, which has unlimited potential to ensure national development through student engagement, since universities create development sites that can be transferred further into the community.

News Archive

Johan Cronjé and Lesley-Ann George; UFS Sports Stars of the Year

2010-10-22

Johan Cronjé and Lesley-Ann George, the UFS’s Sportsman and Sportswoman of 2010.
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs

Junior sport stars: Prof. Teuns Verschoor (middle), Acting Senior Vice-Rector with the UFS's,Junior Sport Stars of the Year: Philip van der Walt (Rugby) and Fikile Mkhuzangwe (Netball).
Photo: Kabelo Tlhabanelo

Kovsie Sports Woman of the Year candidates are from the left: Nelmaré Loubser (Triathlon and Duathlon), Lesley-Ann George (Hockey) and Tanya Basson (Judo).
Photo: Kabelo Tlhabanelo

Kovsie Sportman of the Year candidates are from the left: Thuso Mpuang (Athletics), Philip van der Walt (Rugby), Boom Prinsloo (Rugby), Bruno Schwalbach (Karate), Johan Cronjé (Athletics), and Windy Jonas (Athletics).
Photo: Kabelo Tlhabanelo

KovsieSport at the University of the Free State (UFS) honoured its top sports achievers during a prestige dinner in die Centenary Complex on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein last night. The Kovsie Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year were also announced at this event.

Johan Cronjé was named the Sportsman of the Year. He represented South Africa at the Africa Athletics Championships. He was also invited to participate in the Grand Prix Athletics Championships in Europe. Currently Johan also holds the 38th position on the world-ranking list for the best achievement in the 1 500 m.

Lesley Ann George was named as the Sportswoman of the Year. She is a member of the South African Women’s Hockey Team which participated in the Hockey World Cup and Commonwealth Games. At the last event this team came fourth. She is also a member of the South African Women’s Hockey Team that participated in China. Lesley-Ann is also the Vice-Captain of the South African Women’s Hockey Team.

Lesley Ann furthermore made history; she is the first black UFS athlete who has been named as a Kovsie Sportswoman of the Year.

Philip van der Walt (rugby) and Fikile Mkhuzangwe (netball) was named as the Junior Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year.

According to Mr Frans van der Watt from KovsieSport at the UFS, this was the largest attendance of supporters ever who attended this event during which the UFS honoured its international sports stars.

Sport stars and supporters alike were all inspired by the guest speaker of the evening, Mr Bruce Walsh, a victim of a bomb explosion in Planet Hollywood in 1998, to be winners at a physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual level.

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication (actg)
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl@ufs.ac.za
22 October 2010

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