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22 September 2021 | Story Michelle Nöthling | Photo Supplied
Simoné du Preez

“A community needs a culture, and a culture needs a language.” Pause a moment and consider these words of Simoné du Preez. 

How do we express our beliefs, values, customs, and norms, if not through language? The same is true for the Deaf – who are a minority cultural group in its own right. “Sign Language is the language in which the Deaf community laughs, cries, learns, and loves,” Simoné, a South African Sign Language (SASL) interpreter at the University of the Free State (UFS), points out. “Without it, no expression – and no cultural expression – can take place.”

Simoné’s passion for SASL was ignited while studying BA Language Practice at the UFS. Taking SASL as a main subject, she fell in love with the language, the culture, the history, and its people. Simoné then went on to do her honour’s degree in Language Practice, with specialisation in SASL Interpreting, and she never looked back. During her seven years as an interpreter at the UFS, Simoné still feels humbled by the student community she serves. “I get to learn so much from students from every walk of life, studying anything from Education to the Arts to Actuarial Sciences.” She enjoys seeing what Deaf students are capable of and is also “proud to be a part of their success stories.”

She not only has a soft spot for our students, but also for the Department of SASL and Deaf Studies that has helped shape her into the interpreter she is today. Simoné adds that she loves working with the Centre for Universal Access and Disability Support (CUADS). “It’s amazing to see what lengths Martie Miranda and her team are willing to go through in order to achieve equity and equality for our students with disabilities. I am humbled and honoured to be able to play a small role in their big plan.”

Always pushing herself to improve, Simoné has now set herself the goal of becoming a SASL interpreter accredited by the South African Translators’ Institute (SATI). It is immensely important for Simoné that the Deaf community has access to all information at all times – equal to that of a hearing person. The recognition of SASL as an official language in South Africa is vital to actualising this. Simoné underscores the fact that without this recognition, the Deaf are being silenced. “Their voices are just as important as every other person’s. It is time that we listen to what the Deaf community has to say.”


News Archive

Qwaqwa Campus launches No Student Hungry Programme
2013-05-02

 

Samkelo Duma (white shirt) flanked by some of the guests during the launch of the NSH Programme on the Qwaqwa Campus.
Photo: Thabo Kessah
02 May 2013

The Qwaqwa Campus of the University of the Free State launched the No Student Hungry (NSH) Programme on Friday 26 April 2013. The programme aims to provide needy students with a daily balanced meal to enable them to concentrate in class and ultimately obtain their degrees. The programme – initiated by Vice-Chancellor and Rector Prof Jonathan Jansen in 2011 on the Bloemfontein Campus – already feeds hundreds of students.

Rudi Buys, Dean of Student Affairs who represented the Rectorate, encouraged students in need to focus more on their desire for greatness.

“Through this programme, you will be able you to shift your focus from the hunger pangs and rather focus all your energy on the hunger to make Africa great,” said Buys. “We want you to be different from the rest of your generation that is reluctant to compete for greatness. Many of your peers prefer mediocrity and it is our wish that through this programme, you can start learning to compete with the best,” Buys impelled.

According to the Qwaqwa Campus programme co-coordinator, Selloane Phoofolo, NSH operates on a primary and a secondary level.

“The primary level offers a food bursary to the students whose academic performance is above 65 percent and not receiving any form of financial assistance. For the 2013 academic year, we had 53 students applying and 31 have qualified. They are getting a meal for R25.00 a day at the Dining Hall,” said Phoofolo.

She further explained that, “On the secondary level, we provide monthly food parcels to 19 students who did not qualify for the food bursary. These food parcels are donated by Pick n Pay and Stop Hunger Now SA. For this, beneficiaries must undertake 40 hours of community service during the year. They must also partake in student activities. Their academic progress is monitored by the Office of Social Work.”

One of the beneficiaries, a final-year BA degree student Samkelo Duma, expressed his gratitude towards the UFS for giving him an equal opportunity to those in more fortunate situations to do his best in his studies. “It is difficult to study and concentrate on an empty stomach and I must say that the NSH is very helpful. I do not just get a meal, but I get a healthy meal to keep me going throughout the tough day,” Duma said.

Also present at the launch were the patrons of the programme, Ms Grace Jansen and Dr Carin Buys. They volunteer their time and energy to raise funds for the project.

Students apply for the allowances and are selected on the basis of financial need, academic results, active participation in student life programmes and commitment to give something back to the community.

You can also invest in these students' future by contributing R10.00 each time you sms the word 'Answer' to 38722.

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