Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Previous Archive
17 June 2020 | Story Dr WP Wahl
Students play leading role to ensure food security

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

News Archive

Zahara headlining Kovsie Extravaganza
2012-10-03

Photo: Thabo Kessah
2 September 2012

On Saturday 13 October 2012, the university will host the annual Kovsie Extravaganza. The music festival, named Zircus, will showcase the best of our student performers as well as the multiple South African Music Award-winning singing sensation, Zahara.

The musician will share the stage with local groups such as the UFS Choir, the Chamber Choir as well as Voices Inc. The Sêr groups of the residences Emily Hobhouse, Sonnedou, Tswelopele, Vishuis, Villa Bravado and Welwitchia have also been lined up for the show. Veritas and Marjolein, the winners of the Campus Sêr competition who came third and second respectively in the National Sêr competition are also part of the exciting line-up.

The show, the Arts and Culture office's final event of the year, promises to wow and thrill students, staff and members of the public with some breath-taking performances from the wide array of talent that Kovsies’ possesses.Tickets are available in Office 5 and 6, Thakaneng Bridge with students paying R50 while the public pay R80.

Venue: Callie Human Centre
Date: 13 October 2012
Time: 19:30

For more information call 051 401 9876/2819.


 

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept