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17 June 2020
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Story Dr WP Wahl
The Division of Student Affairs (DSA) prioritises innovation to meet the challenges of food insecurity and malnutrition among students. To this end, several student volunteers and student governance structures are collaborating with the DSA on various initiatives.
During 2019, various conversations were held about the possibility of creating a health-promoting food environment at the UFS where students and staff are well informed and empowered to take appropriate action regarding their food and nutritional needs. These conversations resulted in an institutional strategy to address the food environment at the UFS. Student representatives serve on a technical committee that directs the implementation of this strategy. In this regard, several initiatives have already been launched.
Students from residences and other student communities have planted vegetable gardens on the Bloemfontein Campus with the assistance of KovsieACT and the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences. Students and staff are already harvesting and distributing vegetables to needy students every week. Measurements were put in place to continue this during the COVID-19 period. The following vegetables were planted: spinach, cabbage, beetroot, broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots.
Food parcels, donated by Tiger Brands and Gift of the Givers, are continuously handed out by DSA staff and student volunteers. In this regard, 540 food parcels have already been handed out on the Bloemfontein Campus during the COVID-19 period alone. During the same time, 117 students received food parcels on the Qwaqwa Campus. The innovation of this food parcel project rests on the fact that business, NPOs, UFS students, and DSA staff are collaborating to address food insecurity and malnutrition.
More collaborative initiatives will be implemented over the next 12 months. The DSA staff and students are already working with the Department of Dietetics and Consumer Sciences to create information packages about the preparation of low-budget nutritious meals.
Related article:
Vegetable tunnels established to continue the fight against food insecurity
UFS leads research development workshop in Washington
2008-10-22
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Dr Aldo Stroebel, Vice-President of the Southern African Research and Innovation Management Association (SARIMA) and Head of Internationalisation at the University of the Free State (UFS), recently chaired a workshop by invitation to internationalise research at new and emerging universities during the Society for Research Administrators’ (SRA) annual conference in Washington DC, United States of America. Prof. Frans Swanepoel, Director: Research Development at the UFS, presented the lead paper. In addition, Ms Dineo Gaofhiwe and Ms Lise Kriel from the UFS also participated in the workshop. Other international participants included representatives from the Association for Commonwealth Universities (ACU), the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the University of Washington in Seattle. The session was co-funded by the ACU, the Department of Science and Technology in South Africa, the UFS, and SARIMA. Here are, from the left: Dr Stroebel, Dr John Kirkland, ACU, Ms Kriel, Dr Hiram Larew (USDA), Mr Lawrie Robertson, University of Washington, Ms Gaofhiwe, and Prof. Swanepoel.
Photo: Supplied
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