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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

ABSA sponsors Sports Weekend at the UFS Qwaqwa Campus

2004-09-23

Mr Banny Macholo Retail Banking Services Manager: ABSA (Student Bureau Bloemfontein) , Mr D T Zoko Sports Officer (UFS Qwaqwa Campus), Ms P Rabotapi Social Worker (UFS Qwaqwa Campus) and Mr Timmy Mohlakoana Retail Banking Services Manager : ABSA (Qwaqwa Branch)

In spite of the gale force winds and dust on the weekend of the 17th September, the University sporting clubs braved it in a sports gala at the Qwaqwa Campus of the University of the Free State. The sporting codes comprised soccer, netball, basketball aerobics, chess, volleyball, dance, athletics and body–building.

ABSA Bank donated R15 000.00 to facilitate the event, which began with indoor activities on Friday 17th and continued through Saturday with field sports and more indoor contests.

On behalf of ABSA, Mr Banny Macholo RBS Manager Student Bureau Bloemfontein and Mr Timmy Mohlakoana RBS Manager Phuthaditjhaba, attended the sports day. They said that the relationship that has been developed between ABSA and the UFS Qwaqwa Campus during this event, has been very profound and helpful to our immediate community, which is very rural and poor and from which most of the students are drawn They also assured the organisers that ABSA would seriously consider making it a yearly event.

Media release

Contributed by Ms Jabu Dakile

Senior Liaison Practitioner

UFS Qwaqwa Campus

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