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UFS helps students with food parcels during lockdown

17 June 2020 | Story Andre Damons | Photo Supplied

Between 40 and 50 students from the University of the Free State (UFS) in Bloemfontein receive daily food parcels during the lockdown, thanks to the cooperation between the Food Environment Office at the UFS, Tiger Brands, and the Total Garage in Brandwag.

Annelize Visagie from the Division of Student Affairs (DSA), who is heading the Food Environment Office at the UFS, says just before the national lockdown started in March, they signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Tiger Brands to sponsor 500 food parcels to students who do not have bursaries. This is part of the UFS strategic goal of improving student success and wellbeing. UFS staff is working hard to implement initiatives and obtain sponsorships – such as this one with Tiger Brands – as well as food donations to ensure that students do not go hungry.

“Then the lockdown happened. However, the project continued, with Tiger Brands still sponsoring food parcels. Students email me and I respond to those emails. We are also looking at including students from the South Campus in the project.”

“I deliver the food parcels to the Total Garage across from the campus, where students collect it. We give between 40 and 50 parcels every day and have helped 650 students thus far. These parcels cost Tiger Brands R80 000 a month. We also provide students with vegetables from vegetable tunnels on campus,” says Visagie.

Visagie says the cooperation between the outside companies, the UFS, and even staff and students who volunteer, is heart-warming to see especially during this time of crisis. So is the gratitude from the students. They are also in discussions with the humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers to provide 200 food parcels to needy students from next month.

“We have a supply chain going on in the storeroom at the Thakaneng Bridge. It is great to see how staff members and students jumped in to help us pack the parcels. We have permits and more students want to help, but they can’t get onto campus at this time. We would not be able to do this without the help of Tiger Brands and the Total Garage.”

The DSA Food Environment Office is also collaborating with senior management on the UFS Qwaqwa and South campuses to distribute food parcels on these two campuses.

News Archive

New facility helps with better clinical training

2012-09-06

The new Authentic Learning Space at the School of Nursing allows students to practice very important skills in their state-of-the-art patient simulation rooms.
Photo: Supplied.
4 September 2012

When you visit the School of Nursing at the Bloemfontein Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS), you will be alarmed by all the casualties and patients being treated here daily.

There are patients with serious penetration wounds, as well as open and laceration wounds which could be fatal if not attended to urgently.

In one ward a child is being treated for breathing difficulties and in the emergency ward a patient who suffered a heart attack has just been rushed in.

At the end of the session students pack up their textbooks and the ‘patients’ are re-programmed and prepared for the next group of nursing students to practice their clinical skills.

The School of Nursing recently had the official opening for their Authentic Learning Space where they showcased their state-of-the-art patient simulation rooms.

In each of the many examining rooms as well as in the high-care rooms there are simulation mannequins that can be programmed for certain medical conditions or for medical emergencies.

Speaking at the opening of the Authentic Learning Space, Prof. Driekie Hay, Vice-Rector: Academic, said universities are often accused of not preparing students adequately for their careers.

“We know students learn better by interaction. With access to authentic learning spaces, students are able to gain a deeper sense of a discipline and they can begin to grasp the unwritten knowledge of practice that is often used on a daily basis.”

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