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17 August 2021 | Story Lunga Luthuli | Photo Supplied
Christina Mack – believes in praying for communities.

Leaving Rustenburg in the North-West for the Free State, Christina Mack’s life has changed for the better. Mack, a Housekeeping Manager on the University of the Free State (UFS) Bloemfontein Campus, believes in hard work and honesty – these are the principles she has lived by for many years. 

“I was fortunate to get a job as a cleaner at the university in 2006, a position I held until I was promoted to Housekeeping Manager in 2016.

“I believe in myself; I am a hard worker and because I am a manager, I always strive for honesty. When I have a challenging day – especially at work, I engage with colleagues with honesty.”

One of the many UFS women of quality, impact, and care, Mack says she is living the life she imagined through some powerful life lessons.  

“I have learnt that in life, you must appreciate everything that is good, have a vision, focus on education, and know your position. You must not only pray for yourself, but also for your community.”

Women who inspire her include her Line Manager, Ronell Kruger. “She encourages and supports me, and she is a hardworking woman. Ronell motivates her staff. In the team, she is a mentor and supports all of us.”

What worries her is the continued and high number of gender-based violence cases across the country. “Government should create platforms for men to be taught about taking care of women. Women deserve equal rights to their male counterparts.”

News Archive

The practice of mourning loss
2014-06-11



Prof Kenneth Gergen, Dr Jennifer Githaiga and Prof Mary Gergen
Photo: Supplied
Among international delegates from over 60 nations and more than 1 300 participants, Dr Jennifer Githaiga presented her paper on the practice of mourning – the African way.

Her paper questioned the language used in psychology to ‘pathologise’ African people’s mourning practices. Drawing from her doctoral research, she explained the role of maintaining close bonds with family members after they pass away. Rather than severing these bonds, Dr Githaiga argued that continued attachment beyond death plays a significant role in healing the trauma of loss.

Dr Githaiga’s entitled her paper ‘The “pathology” of post-bereavement bonds: cultural positioning in qualitative inquiry.’ She presented this at the Tenth International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry (ICQI). A conference that has become one of the most important events on the calendar of qualitative researchers across the globe. The event was hosted at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign from 21 - 24 May 2014. The theme of the conference this year was ‘Qualitative Inquiry and the Politics of Research’.

Dr Githaiga is currently a postdoctoral fellow at Trauma, Forgiveness and Reconciliation Studies at the UFS. During the congress, she also found herself in the role as ambassador to Kovsies. Not only did she rub shoulders with highly-regarded Profs Kenneth and Mary Gergen, but also spoke with leading scholars in the field of qualitative research interested in our university.

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