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07 November 2022 | Story Edzani Nephalela | Photo Supplied
Delegates from various schools as well as the Free State Department of Education receive the book donations that will be distributed to 30 high schools in the Sasolburg region.

Statistics indicate that individuals who have difficulty reading are less motivated to read or visit the library, because they cannot recognise words, grasp, or understand what they read. Various organisations, including the University of the Free State (UFS), are addressing this issue by encouraging a reading culture and providing the required resources to enhance their reading skills.

The UFS, in collaboration with Zubeida Jaffer – an award-winning South African journalist, author, and activist – donated books to various secondary schools in the Fezile Dabi district, one of the five districts in the Free State.
Thandeka Mosholi, the Project Leader, said that impacting the youth of South Africa is a critical objective for the UFS Social Responsibility Projects (UFS SRP), which served as the vehicle to address this social injustice. The UFS SRP has established itself as an agent of change and friend of disadvantaged communities.

“In alliance with sponsors who embody compassion and integrity, we respond to the obligation to positively impact the future of South African youth. Our passion resonates with those who desire to open opportunities and bring purpose to learners born in circumstances they did not choose, by being leaders in school change. We believe this contribution will promote reading in schools, because children struggle to grow academically without reading and comprehension skills, as reading is the foundation of all academic subjects. Reading also influences the learner’s ability to write. So, instilling a love of reading at an early age is the key that unlocks the door to lifelong learning,” Mosholi explained.

Exposure to the past, present, and a peek into the future

The event, hosted at Cedar Secondary School in Sasolburg, saw books donated to 30 high schools to foster a reading culture among learners. The following books were donated: Beauty of the heart, Love in the times of treason, and Our generation. It covers 130 years of South African history, and are about three women – Charlotte Maxeke, Ayesha (Bibi) Dawood, and the author herself, Zubeida Jaffer.

“This initiative is to expose as many educators, learners, and students as possible to this collection, since it provides a firm foundation to make sense of our past, present, and future. These books are not to keep us stuck in the past, but to help us navigate the present. We have secured additional sponsorship from Old Mutual, which made it possible to reach schools in all provinces. I thank the University of the Free State for helping to identify schools in the Free State and joyfully distributing these books,” said Jaffer.

On the contrary, school officials are ecstatic, saying that the books will motivate their learners to promote education, learn about their past, and improve their vocabulary. “A school cannot survive in isolation; through the academics’ teaching and learning, as well as research in their respective fields, we learn a lot. Thus, the university's cooperation is welcomed. Through these books, learners will be inspired to reinvent, repurpose, and rediscover libraries," said Sindiswa Mcosana, Curriculum Primary Schools Chief Education Specialist at the Free State Department of Education.

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No Student Hungry Programme presented with a generous donation
2015-05-18

From Left: Prof Jonathan Jansen, UFS Vice-Chancellor and Rector, Mrs Grace Jansen, Custodian of the NSH, Ms Lynsie Pelser, PSA Free State Social Responsibility Chairperson, Dr Vuyo Dyantyi, PSA President, and Mr Gerhard Koorts, PSA Provincial Manager.

The Public Servants Association of South Africa (PSA) presented a cheque for R55 500 to the No Student Hungry Programme on 7 May 2015 at the UFS Bloemfontein Campus. The PSA has been a proud supporter of NSH, and of initiatives such as the NSH 1000/33 Stride that saw four volunteers walk from Bloemfontein to Cape Town to raise funds for the programme from the send-off on 1 May 2014 to the welcoming on 3 June 2014 in Cape Town.

On receiving the cheque, Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS, expressed his gratitude on behalf of the university and all the students who stand to benefit from this initiative.

As a politically non-affiliated union, the PSA’s main focus is labour development and community support throughout the Free State and nationally. The NSH has received a total of R165 000, donated by the union since 2014, which supports more than 25 students.

The President of the PSA, Dr Vuyo Dyantyi, said “Our motto is to invest in human potential, and in programmes that will give the future generation a chance to prosper.”

The No Student Hungry Programme supports more than 130 students each year with daily meals, mentorship, and support on all three campuses.

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