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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.
UFS registration process starts
2008-01-16
The registration process for first-time entering first-year students at the University of the Free State (UFS) started on Tuesday, 15 January 2008 on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein.
The registration process is divided into different categories of students and it takes place according to a predetermined programme. Students are requested to adhere to the times applicable to them as it may cause unnecessary delays in the registration process.
First-time entering first-year students studying at the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences and the Faculty of Law will register today (Wednesday, 16 January 2008). The process, which is taking place in the Callie Human Centre, has been running smoothly so far.
Senior undergraduate students (that is, students entering their second or later year of study) may register from 21 January 2008 according to a programme that was sent to all students who were registered at the UFS in 2007.
Students who applied for admission to the Main Campus after 30 November 2007 and were accepted, must register from 4 February 2008 according to a process applicable to them.
Lectures will start on 4 February 2008 and the registration process will end on 8 February 2008. Registered modules can be amended from 4-8 February 2008.
Qwaqwa Campus:
At the Qwaqwa Campus of the UFS first-time entering first-year students will start registering as from today (Wednesday, 16 January 2008) according to a specific programme. The official welcoming function for first-years will take place on Friday, 25 January 2008 at 08:00 in the Rolihlahla Mandela Hall on the Qwaqwa Campus.
Detailed information on the dates and times of registration for the various faculties and academic learning programmes is available on the UFS website at www.ufs.ac.za .
Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za
16 January 2008