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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.

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Louzanne to represent South Africa at World Championship

2015-10-26

Louzanne making a leap for the finish line with guide runner Rouxné Vermaak

Within the space of seven days, Louzanne Coetzee will take part in both the 1500m and 800m events at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics World Championships, being held in Doha, Qatar, from 21-31 October 2015.

The BA Corporate and Marketing Communication Honours student at the University of the Free State (UFS) was selected to represent South Africa (SA) by the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC). Team SA consists of 23 top athletes, who will be competing in different codes against 89 other countries.

The middle- and long-distance T11/F11 class athlete has won countless medals since her debut in professional athletics in 2012. After only five months, she reached the qualifying standard for international participation, with an impressive 2 minutes 53.8 seconds in the 800m at the 2013 Nedbank National Championships for the Physically Disabled, held in Pretoria.

Louzanne has since achieved another international milestone by making the SA team, following her inaugural IPC meeting, hosted by France two years ago.

“It’s a big honour for me to represent South Africa, and I count myself very fortunate to represent the country at the World Champs,” said the former Accessibility and Student Support Student Representative Council (SRC) member.

The IPC World Championships precede the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, which are known as “the biggest sporting event on the planet”. Qatar is Louzanne’s Rio, and she intends to outdo her personal best in order to qualify. “I want to get my ranking high enough so that I can go to Rio in 2016,” said the gold medallist.

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