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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
Kovsies queue to know their HIV status
2012-05-12
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Kovsie staff member Alzena Brink was one of the thousands who were tested for HIV during the “First Things First” HIV testing campaign.
Photo: Amanda Tongha
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Thousands of students and staff from the Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa Campuses made use of testing booths to determine their HIV status last week. Testing booths were set up on the two campuses as part of an HIV testing campaign.
The “First Things First” HIV testing campaign kicked off on the Bloemfontein Campus on Monday 16 April 2012 with students and staff queuing to find out their HIV status. The Qwaqwa Campus started their campaign on Wednesday 17 April 2012. The South Campus started its campaign on 24 April 2012.
The testing campaign is a national initiative and forms part of the Higher Education HIV/Aids Programme run by Higher Education South Africa (HESA).
Tarryn Nell, HIV Prevention Programme Officer at the university’s HIV/Aids Office, said close to 2 000 Kovsies were tested for HIV last week. “We hope to continue to test, making knowing your status a norm and part of culture.”
- Amanda Tongha