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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

Extension of the academic calendar
2016-03-21

At the Senate meeting which was held on 29 February 2016, a resolution was taken to extend the academic calendar by one week to make up for the lost academic week as a result of the recent student protest action. In particular, it was decided that the commencement of the mid-year exams be postponed by one week. The Faculty of Health Sciences was the only faculty that was allowed to stick to the initial dates.

At its meeting of 2 March 2016, Rectorate discussed this matter and resolved to endorse the resolution of Senate, namely that the mid-year exams will be postponed by one week and that only the Faculty of Health Sciences can stick to the original dates as stipulated in the calendar.

 

Undergraduate lectures

(Excluding Faculty of Health Sciences)

 

First semester

Lectures start: 1 February 2016
Lectures end: 20 May 2016

8-credit modules

1 February 2016 - 1 April 2016
11 April 2016 - 20 May 2016

Holiday:
22 - 24 March 2016

Easter Weekend: 25 - 28 March 2016

Main mid-year examinations

Start: 23 May 2016
End: 11 June 2016

Additional mid-year examinations


Start: 13 June 2016
End: 4 July 2016
End of first semester: 8 July 2016

Holiday:
11 July 2016 - 15 July 2016

Second semester

 

Undergraduate lectures

(Excluding Faculty of Health Sciences)

Lectures start: 18 July 2016
Lectures end: 21 October 2016

8 Credit modules

18 July 2016 - 2 September 2016
5 September 2016 - 21 October 2016

Holiday: 3 - 7 October 2016

Main end-of-year examinations


Starts: 24 October 2016
Ends: 12 November 2016

Additional end-of-year examinations


Starts: 14 November 2016
Ends: 3 December 2016

End of Second Semester

9 December 2016

UFS holiday: 8 August 2016.

UFS recess from: 20 December 2016 - 3 January 2017.

 

 

 

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