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23 April 2021 | Story Dikgapane Makhetha | Photo Supplied
Engaged citizenship towards enabling and training
UFS Department of Community Engagement presents three-day workshop to empower local and individual entrepreneurs in Qwaqwa.
Since the first democratic elections in 1994, South Africa has been commemorating its freedom during the month of April. This year, the theme of ‘Mobilising Society Towards Consolidating Democracy and Freedom’, encourages institutions and citizens to collaborate in creating a better life for all. Development and training are significant means of building strong and prosperous communities. Engaged Scholarship (ES) is responsible for aiding the identification of interventions in relation to the University of the Free State’s (UFS) institutional values and culture. As the integral element of ES, engaged citizenship (EC) creates an enabling approach through engagement and citizenship programmes.

To this end, a three-day (7-9 April 2021) Community Development Empowerment Training workshop was held for local and individual entrepreneurs in Qwaqwa. This was aimed at supporting endeavours to mobilise self-employment, with anticipated economic freedom. A collaboration between the UFS CE, the Qwaqwa Campus Department of Community Development, the Agape Foundation for Community Development, and Klein-Boy Trading Enterprise has identified with the Freedom Month call to encourage joint initiatives to build a strong and empowered nation.  
The first round of the three-day workshop entailed motivational and support seminars, skills empowerment sessions on writing a business plan, and training in upholstery and furniture making. On completion of the second round, about fifty attendants will be awarded certificates of attendance.
Engaged citizenship towards enabling and training
Engaged citizenship towards enabling and training
Engaged citizenship towards enabling and training
Engaged citizenship towards enabling and training

News Archive

I-DENT-I-TIES tackles identity in an unusual story-telling style
2016-07-26

Description: I-DENT-I-TIES Tags: I-DENT-I-TIES

One of the leading performers, Baanetse Mokhotla.
Photo: Thabo Kessah

The I-DENT-I-TIES project has been an enormous experience for the Qwaqwa Campus students who were part of this large-scale interdisciplinary performance project. This is according to Baanetse Mokhotla, one of the leading performers.

“I have personally learnt a lot about performing arts and also grew as an individual,” Baanetse said about the production that was part of this year’s Vrystaat Arts Festival in Bloemfontein.

This massive interactive production of the 54-member student cast utilises music, song and dance in an unusual method of story-telling. It uses live video camera feeds on two big screens as well as recorded video clips of the cast itself and members of the community, some of whom were part of the audience during the two shows staged on the Qwaqwa Campus. The cast intermittently mingles with the audience, thus allowing the latter to be part of the narrative as well.

The main story line explores issues around identity while using the famous Basotho story of ‘Moshanyana Sankatana’ as a catalyst.

Two of the capturing features are the live interviews and the narration of the animated ‘Moshanyana Sankatana’ story, creating stories within a story.

Commenting about the project, SRC President Paseka Sikhosana said that he was happy to have led the student community during this proud moment.

“I loved how this show has exposed our enormously talented performers to the world. It was magical and we need more of such to ensure there will never be a dull moment on our campus,” he said.

Sociology lecturer Sivuyisiwe Magayana said: “I-DENT-I-TIES production was fresh fun. It exhibited the fact that we should be appreciative of other's differences. It also emphasised that we should move away from subscribing to an 'in-group' and 'out-group' mentality when it comes to issues of race, sexuality and identity.”

The international creative team behind this project included a New York-based Dutch director, Erwin Maas; Vienna-based Dutch theatre designer, Nico de Rooij; Djana Covic, a Serbian performance-craft-artist based in Vienna; and South African film and stage legend Jerry Mofokeng.

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