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16 August 2021 | Story Nonsindiso Qwabe | Photo Sonia Small (Kaleidoscope Studios)
New member of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences - Prof Pearl Sithole

Social scientist and Vice-Principal: Academic and Research on the Qwaqwa Campus, Prof Pearl Sithole, was appointed by Pope Francis as a member of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences for her stellar work in social sciences. 
Academicians are appointed by the Pope on the basis of their competencies in the social sciences and their moral integrity.

Prof Sithole said she was looking forward to sharing meaning and impact with the world through a space dedicated to the social sciences. “It’s a great honour. I’m feeling really humbled. The social sciences and humanities are a hugely necessary space to make meaning of the world, but for some reason, in the pecking order, they were relegated to a space that is thought of last. This appointment is to a dedicated space – to say, let’s look at issues through that lens.”
The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences was established by Pope John Paul II in 1994 with the aim of promoting the study and progress of the social sciences, primarily economics, sociology, law, and political science. To achieve its aims, the academy organises conferences and workshops on specific themes, promotes scientific surveys and research, and publishes publications. 

Prof Sithole said the academy provides a wonderful way of reminding academicians of the importance of relating science to the real world. 

“What I like about it is that it demystifies science. It says, be excellent in your field but be able to converse for impact, be able to come to a forum that worries about specific issues, it still encourages publications and pure science/scientific endeavours, advancements in their field, but sometimes people come together to look at an issue from various angles. For me, it’s such a wonderful way of saying we must remember that we are doing science in order to relate to the world, not just to understand for the sake of understanding,” she said.

Make a genuine effort to make a difference in whatever you do, and your work will speak for itself.- Prof Pearl Sithole. 

The appointment also coincides with Women’s Month, and Prof Sithole said she takes great pride in her womanhood. 

“I am a mother and a daughter. I strive to pinpoint problems and offer solutions. I am a social scientist. I’ve made it a mission to study how systems affect people by infusing humanity within the systems. Women have been made to be apologetic about the qualities that define us as women, which we bring especially into leadership. I don’t apologise for my emotions. I don’t apologise for my multitasking abilities; however, I do feel that women are often abused for having these.”

What would you say makes you a UFS woman of quality, impact, and care?

I am the sort of person who strongly believes that your work should speak for itself. I don’t work for accolades. My approach to life is to work genuinely to make a difference, and your work will speak for itself. If you wake up every day to genuinely make a difference, it is enough. You get a lot of satisfaction in life, and you sleep better because you know you have given it your best, and you know that sometimes you can actually see it making a difference.

What advice would you give to the 15-year-old you?

I would say, be true to yourself. At a younger age, you want to chase all sorts of aspirations that look glamorous, which is not a bad thing, because you have to have appetite; but in your appetite for excellence and as someone who lives for a purpose, be true to yourself. Be able to design a life that aspires, but at the same time be adaptable to what you discover your strengths to be.

News Archive

Want to make a difference in the world? Here is how.
2016-05-13

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Student Bursary Fund Campaign booklet (pdf)
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Student Bursary Fund Campaign launched: #FundAFuture and make a difference
Motho ke motho ka batho. A person is a person through others

 

We live in a world filled with want. Often, we ache to make a difference, but become overwhelmed and despondent when we look into this chasm of need. However, the University of the Free State (UFS) has created a way for each of us to change lives, in much the same way that the life of Nozi Bonje has been changed.

“Through the opportunities given to me, I realised that you don’t have to be defined by the school you went to. You can do so much more – and you can dream big dreams and realise them.”

Then
The early chapters of Nozi’s life story reveal a shy girl, hiding between the pages of her books on the playground of a township school. With barely a whisper, Nozi was slipping into a desolate future where dreams existed only in sleep.

Now

Today, that timid young girl has grown into a woman who throws her head back in effortless laughter, confidence sparking off her in bright arcs. What changed the trajectory of her future? Financial support for a tertiary education altered Nozi’s life permanently.

“If I didn’t go to university, I would have been this sad little person,” she remarks. “Studying is not just about learning from a textbook, though. It also challenges you to think critically. You start seeing things in a different perspective, and respond differently.”

Description: Nozi_FundAFuture Tags: Nozi_FundAFuture

Nozi Bonje
Photo: Sonia Small

Giving back
Funding enabled Nozi to obtain a BSc degree in Human Molecular Biology at the UFS in 2015. She was one of the top students in her class. Inspired and driven, she is currently pursuing an honours degree in Molecular Genetics, also at the UFS.

“My main dream is to make a difference in people’s lives. For me, it’s all about giving back, because so many people helped me throughout my journey.”

Student Bursary Fund Campaign

In order to help increase the number of lives transformed through higher education – such as Nozi’s – the UFS has established the Student Bursary Fund Campaign. This campaign aims to raise money to fund talented, deserving students who lack the financial means of obtaining a university degree. We cannot do this alone, though.

Your support is crucial.

Each contribution will bring us closer to our goal while changing the future of our youth. Visit our Giving page for ways to donate.

 


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