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11 August 2021 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied

Staff and students from departments in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS) participated in this year’s annual Flash Fact competition. 

Liesl van der Westhuizen in the Office of the Dean: Natural and Agricultural Sciences, and Dr Frans O'Neill, Senior Lecturer and Programme Director: Biochemistry, coordinated this initiative that allows staff and students to not only talk about their work, but to learn about other research and collaboration opportunities in the faculty. “The Flash Fact competition is a quick and entertaining way to disseminate information within and between departments,” states Van der Westhuizen. 

Talk about it

Since 2018, the annual Flash Fact competition, which is now in its third year, has – in one day – exposed the UFS Natural and Agricultural Science community to, among others, mathematical processes, chemistry, biochemistry, the building sciences, animals, plants, microbes, and agriculture. Van der Westhuizen says she is amazed at the interesting research that the university is engaged in. Dr O’Neill adds that, due to the wide range of fields within the faculty, it is difficult to choose the most interesting presentation, but plenty of originality was displayed to present research in an entertaining and readily understandable manner. 

However, the panel of judges announced the winners according to a predetermined set of criteria in the different categories of master’s, PhD, postdoctoral fellows, and staff participants. 

The following persons were awarded third, second, and first places in this initiative, which is also a faculty outcome of the Integrated Transformation Plan:

Master’s

Bathabile Makhathini – Department of Chemistry
Henry Basson – Department of Plant Sciences
Tristen Lourens – Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry
PhD

Emmie Chiyindiko – Department of Chemistry
Sander van Leusden – Department of Architecture
Gerhard de Jager – Department of Zoology and Entomology
Postdoctoral fellows

Soumya Ghosh – Department of Genetics
Howard Castelyn – Department of Plant Sciences
Krishnan Rajagopalan – Department of Physics
Staff

Dr Sandy-Lynn Steenhuisen – Department of Plant Sciences
Elizabeth Maritz – Department of Mathematics
Mpho Mafa – Department of Plant Sciences
Best of the best

The faculty winners first had to participate in a Flash Fact competition within their own departments. After that, the winners of the different departments had the opportunity to compete against each other at faculty level. According to Van der Westhuizen, the faculty winners in the master’s and PhD categories are eligible to participate in the Postgraduate School’s Three-minute thesis competition later this year. 


Bathabile Makhathini was announced as the winner in the master’s degree category of the recent Flash Fact competition in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences. Photo: Supplied
Bathabile Makhathini was announced as the winner in the master’s degree category of the recent Flash Fact competition in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences. Photo: Supplied
Emmie Chiyindiko, PhD student in the Department of Chemistry, says she will not stop her work to produce electricity in a wide range of light conditions as long as half of sub-Saharan Africa lacks access to reliable energy. Photo: Supplied
Emmie Chiyindiko, PhD student in the Department of Chemistry, says she will not stop her work to produce electricity in a wide range of light conditions as long as half of sub-Saharan Africa lacks access to reliable energy. Photo: Supplied
Dr Sandy-Lynn Steenhuisen , was announced the winner in the staff category of the recent Flash Fact competition. Her research investigates why flowers look and smell the way they do, and what they attract. Photo: Leonie Bolleurs
Dr Sandy-Lynn Steenhuisen , was announced the winner in the staff category of the recent Flash Fact competition. Her research investigates why flowers look and smell the way they do, and what they attract. Photo: Leonie Bolleurs
The research focus of Soumya Ghosh, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Genetics, is microbial ecology studies, which includes both taxonomical and functional profiling leading to novel drug discoveries.
The research focus of Soumya Ghosh, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Genetics, is microbial ecology studies, which includes both taxonomical and functional profiling leading to novel drug discoveries.

News Archive

Help to rural women to become entrepreneurs
2006-10-24

Some of the guests who attended the ceremony were, from the left: Mr Donray Malabie (Head of the Alexander Forbes Community Trust), Ms Jemina Mokgosi (one of the ladies from Tabane Village who is participating in the Women in Agriculture project), Dr Limakatso Moorosi (Head: Veterinary Services, Free State Department of Agriculture), Prof Johan Greyling (Head: UFS Department of Animal and Wildlife and Grassland Sciences) and Ms Khoboso Lehloenya (coordinator of the project from UFS Department of Animal and Wildlife and Grassland Sciences). Photo: Leonie Bolleurs\

Alexander Forbes and UFS help rural women to become entrepreneurs
 
Today, the Alexander Forbes Community Trust and the University of the Free State (UFS) joined forces to create an enabling environment for rural women to become players in the private sector.

Three years ago the UFS set up a unique small-scale household egg production project called Women in Agriculture in Thaba ‘Nchu as a pilot project. The project was officially launched today by Mr Donray Malabie, Head of the Alexander Forbes Community Trust.

The aim of the Women in Agriculture Project is to create jobs, provide food security and to help develop rural women into entrepreneurs. A total of 25 women based in Tabane Village in Thaba ‘Nchu are the beneficiaries of the project.

“This is the first project in the Free State the Alexander Forbes Community Trust is involved with.  The project would help rural women acquire the skills they need to run their own egg-production business from their homes,” said Mr Malabie. 

“The ongoing debate on the shortage of skills ignores the fact that people with little or no education at all also need training. This project is special to the Trust as it provides for the creation of sustainable jobs, food security and the transfer of much needed skills all at once, particularly at this level,” he said.

Every woman in the group started with two small mobile cages that housed 12 hens each. The units are low in cost, and made of commercially available welded mesh and a metal frame. Now, each woman has four cages with 48 hens. The group manages to collectively produce 750 eggs daily.

The eggs are currently sold to local businesses, including spaza shops and the women are using the income generated to look after their families and to further develop their business.

The Department of Animal and Wildlife and Grassland Sciences at the UFS identified the project and did the initial research into the feasibility of setting up such a project.

“A demonstration and training unit has been established at the Lengau Agricultural Development Centre and the women attended a short practical training course. Subsidies are provided for feeding, together with all the material and the lay hens necessary for the start of the business,” said Ms Khoboso Lehloenya, coordinator of the project from the Department of Animal and Wildlife and Grassland Sciences at the UFS. 

“The advantage in using lay hens is that they are resistant to diseases and the women will not need electric heating systems for the egg production,” said Ms Lehloenya. 

According to Ms Lehloenya, the women are already benefiting from their egg production businesses.  “Some of them have used the profit to buy school uniforms and tracksuits for their children and others are now able to make a monthly contribution to their household expenses,” said Ms Lehloenya. 
“In South Africa, possibly due to cultural reasons and circumstances, most black people prefer to eat older and tougher chickens, compared to younger soft commercially available broiler chickens. This preference creates a further advantage for the women. At the end of their production cycle, old hens can be sold for a higher price than point-of-lay or young hens. This brings in further money to pay for more hens,” said Ms Lehloenya.

The Alexander Forbes Trust contributed R191 000 towards the project aimed at expanding it to benefit 15 more women.

“We are in the process of recruiting an additional 15 women in Thaba ‘Nchu who will be trained by the Lengau Agricultural Development Centre in order to replicate the model and extend its reach”, said Ms Lehloenya.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel:   (051) 401-2584
Cell:  083 645 2454
E-mail:  loaderl@mail.uovs.ac.za
20 October 2006

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