Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Previous Archive
01 August 2022 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Maryke Venter
UFS No student Hungry concert
Attending the first Winter Warmer Indoor Concert, hosted by the Faculty of Health Sciences, were, from the left: Prof Hanneke Brits, Dorah Klaas from UFS Institutional Advancement, Dr Nicholas Pearce, and Mantwa Makhakhe, Senior Financial Planner and Director at Sanlam.

“Don’t worry about a thing,
‘Cause every little thing gonna be all right
Singin’: “Don’t worry about a thing
‘Cause every little thing gonna be all right!”

An extract from the lyrics of Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds, performed by Dr Nicholas Pearce, Head of the Department of Surgery at the University of the Free State (UFS), and Prof Hanneke Brits, Associate Professor in the UFS Department of Family Medicine, singing along with the staff and students from the UFS Faculty of Health Sciences and the audience. This performance was one of the highlights during the first Winter Warmer Picnic Concert presented by the Faculty of Health Sciences. 

The faculty, besides displaying the talent of its medical students, the Free State Youth Wind Ensemble, the UFS Choir, and nationally renowned Lucy Sehloho, aimed to create a fun evening for staff, students, and the Bloemfontein community in order to raise awareness for hungry students. 

About students for students

It is a function about students for students, remarked Prof Prakash Naidoo, Vice-Rector: Operations, who opened the event. According to him, millions of people worldwide go hungry every day. “At the UFS, there are also many students who are not able to afford basic food stuffs. Often, essentials are not covered by student bursaries, leaving students hungry and struggling to perform at the academic level expected,” he said. 

To enter the Callie Human Centre on the Bloemfontein Campus where the concert was hosted, members of the audience could donate non-perishable food, sanitary items, or blankets. The 800 food parcels collected at the event will be distributed by the No Student Hungry programme

Besides students, staff members and their families who attended the concert and donated towards the NSH, the Life Rosepark Hospital and Sanlam also made financial contributions towards the programme. 

Community coming together for a good cause

The idea to host the concert and to see lecturers in the faculty perform, stemmed from the CANSA shavathon held earlier this year when more than R10 000 was raised for people suffering from cancer and other related illnesses. Dr Pearce indicated that, should students reach the R10 000 mark, he and Prof Brits would perform Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds. The original idea of one performance evolved into a two-hour concert, seeing members of the Bloemfontein community coming together for a good cause. 

“Due to your contribution, many students will not go hungry,” said Dr Pearce, thanking everyone who attended the concert and donated to the NSH programme.

• Should you also like to make a difference in someone’s life and make a cash donation to the No Student Hungry programme, please scan the QR code and follow the instructions. Your contribution can go a long way in making a difference in someone’s life. 

News Archive

Drama Department produces international stars
2011-05-20

 
Jefferson Dirks-Korkee en Mart Kotze
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs

Forbidden desires, secrets, lies and intrigue. Add a few well-known South African actors like Deon Lotz and Robin Smith for interpretation and you get the first Afrikaans South African film ever to be shown at the Cannes Film Festival from 11-22 May 2011.

It is all very well, but where does the University of the Free State (UFS) fit into the picture?

Jefferson Dirks-Korkee and Mart Kotze, two of our drama students – Jefferson being an Honours student and Mart a master’s student – each scored a small role in the film Skoonheid, when director Oliver Hermanus sent a team to Bloemfontein for auditions.

Skoonheid is the first Afrikaans South African film that has been nominated for a Cannes award. “Robert de Niro is the president of the panel of adjudicators,” says an excited Jefferson, who plays in a silent scene in the film. He and Mart, who plays a cashier, are very pleased with the opportunity to appear in this production.

Although it is the first time that Jefferson appears in front of the cameras, he has already participated in a few stage productions like Jonas and Boermanie. Mart also featured in Boermanie and Tailor Made.

They invite everyone to their performances at this year’s Vryfees in July. In Piet se tante Jefferson will debut as Windvoël and Mart will play as Lucia-Anne in Die kaskenades van Kees Kieswetter.
 

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