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10 March 2022
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Story Anthony Mthembu
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Photo Unsplash
The No Student Hungry team gearing up to start distributing food parcels to the selected students.
The UFS is one of the many institutions of higher learning where food insecurity is an active issue. However, the
No Student Hungry Programme is one of the initiatives launched at the university to assist in fighting food insecurity at the institution.
The purpose of the programme
Since its inception in 2011, the initiative has assisted many students in acquiring a healthy meal. Additionally, the Food Environment Office also hands out food packages, so that students can continue to achieve academically. “We are trying to develop a healthy environment for students and make it easier for them to have a nice and healthy meal,” stated Annelize Visagie, who heads the Food Environment Office at the UFS. The Food Environment programme is spread out on all three campuses, each with its own facilitators. Furthermore, the programme mainly caters for students who are not funded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) but who are excelling academically. The abovementioned students apply for assistance online, and a list is then drawn up of students who receive assistance for the year.
Alternative solutions to keep the initiative running
On the Bloemfontein Campus, the No Student Hungry Programme will be catering for 200 students in the 2022 academic year, assisting them with a daily nutritious meal. Additional food parcels are also handed out to provide further assistance. “We give food parcels to the students on the list every Tuesday and Thursday at the Thakaneng Bridge,” Visagie highlighted. However, she argues that catering for the student population through this programme can be a challenge, as the demand for assistance is growing rapidly and the ability to assist is limited. The programme relies on partnerships and sponsors to assist the student body. In fact, the coordinators of the programme currently have a memorandum of understanding with Tiger Brands according to which they deliver around 100 food parcels for distribution.
In addition, the coordinators have put in place alternative measures to ensure that they can provide more food to students. “The
Kovsie Act Office, in partnership with the
Department of Sustainable Food Systems and Development, has started a food garden where healthy and nutritious produce are grown, in order to add value to the distribution,” she indicated. Although the programme can only assist to a point, students who are in desperate need of assistance are never turned away. In fact, the
Social Support Unit at Thakaneng Bridge usually assists students with food vouchers for a maximum of four days.
A commitment to teaching healthy eating habits
The programme is not only committed to curbing food insecurity, but also to ensuring that students have a healthy and balanced diet. As such, a booklet is being issued by the
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics in collaboration with the Department of Sustainable Food Systems and Development, which contains ways in which students can make a healthy meal using some of the ingredients offered in the food parcels.
“We want to teach students how to eat healthy in the cheapest way, because they don’t have a lot of money to buy expensive food products,” Visagie argued.
Department Psychology of Education hosts an empowering workshop
2009-11-30
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The Department of Psychology of Education at the University of the Free State (UFS), in partnership with the department of Inclusive Education (Xhariep district), recently held a workshop on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein to empower students, educators, departmental officials and parents to address the needs of learners diagnosed with Attention-Deficit-Hyperactivity-Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorders, as well as learners infected/affected by HIV/AIDS. Keynote speakers at this workshop included Dr Dawid Griessel (Paediatrics, UFS), Dr Annette Prins (Centre for Higher Education Studies and Development, UFS), Ms Santjie Vermaas (Occupational therapist, Motheo District Support Team) and Ms Jane Jarvis (Education Psychologist, specialising in ADHD).
The workshop, under the theme: “Empowering educators to cater for the diverse needs of learners in their classes”, was attended by more than 350. This first initiative has proved so successful that there have been countless requests for a follow-up workshop. At the workshop, from the left, front, were: Ms Santjie Vermaas (Occupational Therapist), Ms Sally York (Learning facilitator: Xhariep District) and Mr T.S. Tsipane (CES: Xhariep District). Back: Prof Johnnie Hay (Departmental Chairperson, Psychology of Education), Dr Dawid Griessel (Department of Paediatrics, UFS), Dr A. Prins (Centre for Higher Education Studies and Development ), Mr P.W. Terblanche (Chief Educational Specialist: Xhariep District), Dr Annalene van Staden (Department of Psychology of Education)
Photo: Mangaliso Radebe |