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Dr Katleho Tsilo on graduating medical school: ‘My dream was and still is bigger than my challenges’

14 December 2021 Photo Supplied

For Dr Katleho Tsilo, one of the latest graduates from the University of the Free State (UFS) Faculty of Health Sciences says graduating from medical school is a dream come true for her and her family.

For Dr Katleho Tsilo, one of the newest graduates from the University of the Free State (UFS) Faculty of Health Sciences, graduating from medical school does not only represent the answered prayers, persistence and sheer grace, it is also a dream come true for her and her family.

Dr Tsilo graduated on Monday 13 December 2021 during the UFS’ year-end graduating ceremonies.

“It still feels unreal that I was able to overcome the greatest challenge that I was presented with. In my entire medical school career, I have faced many great challenges, from not having any kind of funding at all, to initially not being accepted into medicine to really having to fight for my position each and every semester while also fighting with and for my fellow students in the various leadership positions aforementioned.

“There were moments of weakness where I wished to just quit it all, but with support from the faculty and my family, I managed to hold on. My dream was and still is bigger that any challenge that I have ever encountered,” says Dr Tsilo.

Had various leadership positions

During her student years, this Botshabelo native engaged in various leadership positions. She also had to overcome numerous obstacles including the imposter syndrome. According to her, coming from a poor background, with very little resources, she sometimes felt insecure about what she could offer and what she is capable of. Being a health worker during the COVID-19 pandemic was also very challenging because of the uncertainty of everything and how dangerous the work environment in the hospital was proving to be.

“I was privileged enough to be elected as part of the MSA (Medical Students Association) in the Academics portfolio, this is where I then came up with the idea of collecting textbook donations and gifting the less privileged students. I was also elected to be part of the Residence Committee of the new Health Sciences Residence, in the Finance Portfolio.”

Can’t imagine doing anything else

Though she did not always want to study medicine, she ultimately decided on this field as she could not imagine doing anything else. She believes it is a calling, as she always wanted to live a life full of purpose and helping other people. Helping put a smile on someone’s face when they are going through illness is enough to change one’s life, explains Dr Tsilo about her decision to study medicine. She will be doing her internship at the Leratong Hospital in Krugersdorp, Gauteng.

Dr Tsilo, who is hoping to go into Health Science Education or Public Health, says her motivation comes from her family background. “Having been surrounded by poverty for the greater part of my life pushed me to become the difference. I was and still am determined to not be another statistic. Another thing that really motivates me is being of some help to someone. I cannot change the whole world at one time but I can surely start with one person at a time. I believe so much in the power of giving, whether knowledge, time or resources So much that I started my own foundation: the Open Hands Foundation.”

According to Dr Tsilo, her journey to graduating was intimidating – having to adjust to being a student was already tough, however adjusting to being a medical student proved to be a whole new level of challenging. It came with a lot of late nights and very early mornings, months without seeing her family and having almost no luxurious pastimes.

But she persevered because she always had a goal and was determined to reach it. She had a vision to complete this degree and do it in record time and that’s exactly what she did. “Your vision should always fuel your mission,” says Dr Tsilo.

Besides medicine, her other passions include charity work – something she has been doing right through her student years.

Passion for charity work

“I love charity work and if you did not find me studying, that’s what you would find me, doing. Open Hands is where I exercise this passion. I collect clothes, shoes and food items for the less privileged in our communities.

To students struggling and also facing difficulties, I have this simple message: Don’t stop. Don’t stop working hard, don’t stop hoping and dreaming and if you need help of any kind, it is always available. Know that you are not struggling alone, struggle is part of the journey – it always seems impossible but as long as you don’t stop you will eventually reach your destination.”

Prof Lynette van der Merwe, who took up her new position as Academic Head in the Division Health Sciences Education, Faculty of Health Sciences on 1 December 2021, congratulated the new cohort of UFS doctors and reminded them of the three Cs in the MBChB programme in 2021 – courage, conviction and compassion. She also proposed a new “C” for the year ahead: Character.

“Character is seen in how you treat those who can do nothing for you. It takes time to develop, and only grows through suffering and failing; no shortcuts, no life hacks here. Character makes you seek to be worth knowing, rather than well known. Adam Grant says: ‘Meaning is about making a difference, not having an audience. Your legacy is not how many footprints you leave. It’s how long they last.’ Wherever life takes you from here, whatever happens to you or through you, do what is right, not easy. Be a person of value, not success.”

News Archive

UFS to investigate implementation of quality-monitoring system for SA food industry

2006-02-07

Some of the guests who attended the workshop were from the left Prof James du Preez (Chairperson: Department of Biotechnology at the UFS); Prof Lodewyk Kock (Head: South African Fryer Oil Initiative (SAFOI) at the UFS)); Mrs Ina Wilken (Chairperson: South African National Consumer Union (SANCU)); Prof Herman van Schalkwyk (Dean: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the UFS) and Mr Joe Hanekom (Managing Director of Agri Inspec).
Photo: Stephen Collet

UFS to investigate implementation of quality-monitoring system for SA food industry

The University of the Free State (UFS) will be investigating the implementation of a quality-monitoring service for the South African food industry.

This was decided during a workshop to discuss the external quality monitoring in the edible oil industry of South Africa, which was recently held at the UFS.

Major role players in the fast-food sector like Nando's, Spur, Captain
Dorego's, King Pie Holdings, Black Steer Holdings, etc and various oil
distributors like Felda Bridge Africa, Refill Oils, PSS Oils and Ilanga Oils attended
the workshop. Also present was Mrs Ina Wilken, Chairperson of the South African National Consumer Union (SANCU) and key-note speaker of this workshop. She represented the consumer.

These role players all pledged their support to the implementation of this quality- monitoring system for the whole food industry.

The decision to implement this system follows the various malpractices reported in the press and on TV concerning food adulteration (eg the recent Sudan Red Scare), misrepresentation (eg olive oil scandal exposed in 2001) and the misuse of edible frying oils by the fast-food sector.

“One of the basic rights of consumers is the right to safe food. Consumers must be protected against foods and food production processes which are hazardous to their health. Sufficient guarantee of the safety of all food products and food production processes should be implemented. It does not help to have adequate food standards and legislation and there is no manpower to do the necessary investigation or monitoring,” said Mrs Wilken.

The South African Fryer Oil Initiative (SAFOI), under the auspices of the UFS Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology, currently monitors edible oils in the food industry and makes a seal of quality available to food distributors.

“Last week’s decision to implement the quality-monitoring system implies that we will now be involving also other departments in the UFS Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences who are involved in various aspects of the food chain in an endeavor to implement this quality monitoring system,” said Prof Herman van Schalkwyk, Dean: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the UFS and one of the main speakers at the workshop.

Prof van Schalkwyk said that the main aim of such a system will be to improve the competitiveness of the South African food industry. “It is clear that the role players attending the workshop are serious about consumer service and that they agree that fraudulent practice should be monitored and corrected as far as possible. Although some of the food outlets have the capacity to monitor the quality of their food, it may not seem to the consumer that this is an objective process. The proposed external monitoring system would counteract this perception amongst consumers,” said Prof van Schalkwyk.

The workshop was also attended by representatives from SAFOI and Agri Inspec, a forensic investigation company collaborating with inter-state and government structures to combat fraud and international trade irregularities.

Agri Inspec has been working closely with SAFOI for a number of years to test the content of edible oils and fats. “Extensive monitoring and control actions have been executed in the edible oil industry during the past four years to ensure that the content and labeling of oil products are correct. Four years ago almost 90% of the samples taken indicated that the content differed from what is indicated on the label. This has changed and the test results currently show that 90% of the products tested are in order. However, to maintain this quality standard, it is necessary that quality monitoring and educational campaigns are continuously performed,” said Mr Joe Hanekom, Managing Director of Agri Inspec.

“The seal of quality presented by SAFOI should also be extended to include all the smaller oil containers used by households,” Mrs Wilken said.

The SAFOI seal of quality is currently displayed mainly on some oil brands packed in bigger 20 liter containers, which include sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, palm oil etc which are used by restaurants and fast food outlets. “Any oil type is eligible to display the seal when meeting certain standards of authenticity. In order to display the seal, the distributor must send a sample of each oil batch they receive from the manufacturer to SAFOI for testing for authenticity, ie that the container’s content matches the oil type described on the label. This is again double checked by Agri Inspec, which also draws samples countrywide from these certified brands from the end-user (restaurant or fast food outlets). If in breach, the seal must be removed from the faulty containers,” said Prof Lodewyk Kock, Head of SAFOI.

“It should however be taken into account that oils without a seal of quality from the UFS can still be of high quality and authentic. Other external laboratories equipped to perform effective authenticity tests may also be used in this respect,” said Prof Kock.

“It is also important to realise that any oil type of quality such as sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, palm oil etc can be used with great success in well controlled frying processes,” he said.

Further discussions will also be held with the Department of Health, the SA National Consumer Union and Agri Inspec to determine priority areas and to develop the most effective low-cost monitoring system.

More information on the UFS oil seal of quality and oil use can be obtained at www.uovs.ac.za/myoilguide

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

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