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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

Social Work students scoop the Service Learning grand prize
2016-03-09

Description: KL 2016 03 09 Social Work students Tags: KL 2016 03 09 Social Work students  
From the left: Natalie van Wyk, Jané Erasmus, Cornél Odendaal, Anré la Grange, and Werner Botes on winning the Service Learning Prize in the Faculty of Humanities.

In 2015 five third-year Social Work students started a project, “Be Buddies, Not Bullies” at Joe Solomon Primary School in Heidedal. The project was specifically aimed at Grade 7 learners, to help them to improve their interpersonal skills and discipline at school and at home, as bullying behaviour among them was on the rise. A mentorship programme was also developed for this target group.

The students designed a manual addressing issues such as: self-esteem, relationships, peer pressure, conflict handling, emotional intelligence, effective communication, acceptance of diversity, responsibility and support.The students identified leaders in Grade 7 and then trained them to be mentors for their peers. The learners will form groups and meet on a weekly basis under the guidance of these trained leaders,to deal with issuessuch as those covered by the manual.

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