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Students play leading role to ensure food security

17 June 2020 | 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.

News Archive

Shaping strong foundations for young children

2011-10-02

At the seminar were Profs. Nithi Muthukrishna from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and Hasina Ebrahim
Photo: Maritza Olivier

Experts in the field of early-childhood development gathered at our Bloemfontein Campus on Thursday, 29 September 2011 to attend a seminar focusing on curriculum in the early years. The seminar, organised by our Faculty of Education, the Flemish Government and the Free State Department of Education attracted delegates from Belgium, Greece, the Netherlands, Kenya, and the United Kingdom.

Prof. Hasina Ebrahim, Associate Professor at our School for Social Sciences and Language Education, said the aim was to stimulate conversation on the realities of young children’s lives, the inequalities that exist and the implications for curriculum development in the early years.

Speakers at the seminar covered topics on worldviews of childhood development, indigenous curriculum perspectives and child participation in the curriculum in the early years.

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