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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
Public Administrators and scholars to talk governance at UFS
2012-03-06
Government officials and Public Administration scholars will gather at the University of the Free State (UFS) to discuss the state of governance in Africa. This occurs during the centenary of the African National Congress (ANC). They will attend the 12th annual conference of the South African Association of Public Administration and Management (SAAPAM) that will take place on the Bloemfontein Campus from 7 to 9 March 2012.
The Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Blade Nzimande, and Ms Thandi Modise, Deputy Secretary-General of the ANC, will deliver keynote addresses at the conference. The Executive Mayor of the Mangaung Metro Municipality will also speak at the event.
Scholars from across the country and the continent will cover topics ranging from service delivery to community participation as well as relations between the ANC and the Judiciary.
The conference is hosted in conjunction with the Centre for Africa Studies at the UFS.
See the pdf document with times and venues for the different sessions.