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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

A guide and a friend
2016-12-12

Description:Khothatso Mokone  Tags: Khothatso Mokone  longdesc=

Louzanne Coetzee and Khothatso Mokone.
Photo: Charl Devenish

Behind every successful Paralympic athlete is a guide, and behind blind athlete Louzanne Coetzee is none other than former Kovsie student Khothatso Mokone.

Mokone, who is a sports journalist and freelance photographer, says he is not entirely sure that his busy schedule is very balanced, but he tries to ensure he squeezes as much as possible into his day. One thing he always makes time for is his training. “As a young person, I try to take every opportunity that comes my way,” he says.

This young runner, who has been Coetzee’s guide for the past eight months, says that every race they have run together thus far has always been better than the last. “The partnership grows harmoniously every day. We talk about almost everything there is, not only running,” Mokone says.

Mokone guided Coetzee in the 1 500m of the Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro in September this year when she was disqualified. 

Mokone, who loves comedy and Dubai, is inspired by SAfm journalist and presenter Ashraf Garda. “He talks a lot about current issues that affect our country and I like his style of presenting. He is a good orator.”

Something people may not know about him is that he always walks around hopeful that the best is yet to come. “When I walk down the street, I walk with confidence and people think I have made it in life not knowing that I only have hope for a better tomorrow,” he says.

Although he is not yet as successful as he would like to be, Mokone encourages the youth to “open their eyes and ears to set realistic goals and work with patience to achieve each goal, whether short or long term”.

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