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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 appoints a Director for Internasionalisation
2009-03-17
 Prof. Aldo Stroebel has been promoted to Director Internationalisation of the University of the Free State (UFS) effective 1 April 2009. This confirms the UFS's commitment to excellence in research and student support, and investing in international competitiveness. As a result, Internationalisation will report to the Vice Rector: Academic Operations.
He is recognised as a leader in the internationalisation of higher education, inter alia through appointments such as Vice-President of the Southern African Research and Innovation Management Association (SARIMA), Executive Committee member of the International Educators’ Association of South Africa (IEASA), member of the Board of the South Africa Netherlands Partnership Programme on Alternatives in Development (SANPAD) and Conference President of the International Organisation of Research Management Societies (INORMS 2010).
Prof. Stroebel is an internationally renowned agriculture and rural development specialist, focusing on Africa. He obtained his Masters degree from Ghent University, Belgium, and a Ph.D. from the UFS in collaboration with Cornell University, USA. During 2005, he was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Wageningen University and Research Centre in the Netherlands. He is the author/co-author of more than 80 articles, book chapters and reports.
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs
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