Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items

Gift of the Givers nutrition packs ensuring that no student goes hungry during lockdown

16 July 2021 | Story Nonsindiso Qwabe

Givers_web read more — UFS Qwaqwa Campus social worker, Selloane Phoofolo, and primes and deputy primes of female residences on the campus.

Food insecurity is one of the greatest plagues that students face during their academic careers at university.

A working relationship between national non-governmental organisation (NGO) Gift of the Givers and the No Student Hungry (NHS) office on the Qwaqwa Campus has provided students with nutritional care as they navigate the difficulties brought on by the pandemic.

A little goes a long way

The NGO has been delivering nutritional food parcels for more than a year, with the first batch having been delivered in February 2020. The partnership was again renewed for 2021. Two hundred food parcels were meant to be delivered on a monthly basis, but are currently delivered on request, says Qwaqwa Campus social worker, Selloane Phofoolo. The parcels last a few months, before the next call is made for more. “We are so lucky that Gift of the Givers has continued their partnership with us this year. Without their support we would have struggled, especially during this pandemic. They are always just a call away.”

Phoofolo said the NHS was relying mainly on the food parcels to cater for students, as no other collection drives have been possible to sustain since the lockdown began. She said in 2020, shortly after the lockdown began, they were flooded with requests for food. Since then, students have been able to collect the food parcels from Protection Services on campus. This year, requests surged again in March and April 2021 when the academic calendar kicked off. She lauded Protection Services for their dedicated efforts to ensure that students receive food parcels seamlessly while the campus remains inaccessible to most.

“We have a significant number of students who are really lacking; so, while we subject them to a vetting process, each case has its own merits because some are really compelling and dire since everyone is going through a difficult time.”

Female residences donate sanitary towels to NHS recipients

She said another kind gesture that landed on the NHS’ doorstep was a generous donation of sanitary towels collected by primes and deputy primes from female residences on campus. Phoofolo said the donation came as a welcome surprise. “We are very grateful for the sanitary towels. Now every female student who collects a food parcel also receives a pack of sanitary towels.”

“Everyone is going through a difficult time and despite the pandemic, we are happy to see the passion for students and dedication to Ubuntu prevailing,” she said.

News Archive

Missing UFS student found

2013-04-01

Thabiso Moholoholo
Photo: Supplied
10 April 2013

The whereabouts of University of the Free State (UFS) student Thabiso Moholoholo have been determined. He was found to be in Qwaqwa by the South African Police Service (SAPS) who used cell phone tracking to locate the 'missing' student.

Thabiso 'disappeared' on 9 October 2012 from the Bloemfontein Campus allegedly on his way to the UFS Sasol Library. He was a second-year student doing the BSc Environmental Studies programme, and was a resident in Tswelopele Residence on the Bloemfontein Campus at the time of his disappearance.

The university’s Protection Services, with the assistance of the SAPS, went to great lengths to search for him up until he was found. The investigative work of well-known private investigator Leon Rossouw also assisted greatly in the case.

Shortly after his disappearance a message indicating that he was dead and photos of him lying face-down, covered in what seemed to be blood were posted on his Facebook page. This was followed with a similar SMS message to a friend.

It has now been discovered that Thabiso disappeared on his own initiative and that he made up the violent photos for his Facebook page with the help of a friend.

The senior leadership of the university and residence leadership of Tswelopele are obviously relieved that he was found and thank everyone who worked tirelessly to locate the student.

The university has spent considerable time and extended its limited financial and human resources all in an effort to find this so-called missing student; his conduct is completely unacceptable. The stress on the family, fellow students and the university community as a whole is incalculable.

The university therefore views this staged disappearance in a grave light and considers this act to constitute very serious student misconduct, which could result in disciplinary action and possible expulsion.

Media Release
10 April 2013
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication
Tel: +27(0)51 401 2584
Cell: +27(0)83 645 2454
E-mail: news@ufs.ac.za

Back

Economic and Management Sciences

Education

Health Sciences

The Humanities

Law

Natural and Agricultural Sciences

Theology and Religion

Open Distance Learning

Business School

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept