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#YouthMonth: Celebrating youth empowerment (Brent Jammer)

13 June 2023 | Story Brent Jammer | Photo Supplied

The University of the Free State (UFS) is celebrating Youth Month by showcasing the positive influence of the institution on career development. As part of this initiative, we are sharing the stories of UFS alumni who are now working at the university.

Brent Jammer, Lecturer in the Department of Agricultural Economics, shares his UFS journey:

Q: Year of graduation from the UFS:

A: 2017, 2018, 2019

Q: Qualification obtained from the UFS:

A: I obtained my undergraduate degree in Agricultural Management with distinction in 2017 and received the ABSA award for best Bachelor of Agriculture final-year student at the faculty awards. In 2018, I obtained my honours degree in Agricultural Management with distinction and received the Standard Bank award for best BAgric Management honours student at the faculty awards. In 2019, I obtained my master’s degree in Agricultural Management.

Q: Date of joining the UFS as a staff member:

A: I joined the university as a permanent staff member (Lecturer) in September 2022.

Q: Initial job title and current job title:

A: After completing my studies, I went on to work as a production manager on a commercial farm where I managed approximately 1 500 sheep. I returned to the university in 2022 and was then appointed as a Lecturer in the Department of Agricultural Economics.

Q: How did the UFS prepare you for the professional world?

A: The UFS served as a great foundation where I built my expertise with the knowledge and skills that I gained while studying at the university. The biggest advantage of being a UFS graduate is my ability to adapt in any space outside my comfort zone, which in turn made me excel in my field. The UFS Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science is indeed the front runner in producing excellent students who can make a difference in the agricultural industry.

Q: What are your thoughts on transitioning from a UFS alumnus to a staff member?

A: Transitioning from UFS alumnus to a staff member is still a dream come true for me, and it's actually funny that the people who taught me during undergraduate studies are now my colleagues. So, being among them and getting so much support is what makes me feel at home at the university.

Q: Any additional comments about your experience?

A: Additionally, I am also an emerging cattle farmer, where I implement all the skills I obtained from the university in practice. I farm with approximately 70 cattle where I employ youth members from my community as a means of ploughing back in order to reduce unemployment and enhancing livelihoods.

News Archive

UFS’s Unit for Children’s Rights instrumental in helping human trafficked victim

2010-03-29

Adv. Beatri Kruger.
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs

“Wheeling and dealing is part of our daily life. But what if the ‘product’ bought or sold is not a spanner or a cell phone, but a living human being? Disturbing news came to the fore... apart from other places in the country, and for that matter all over the world, it was discovered that people are treated like commodities here in Bloemfontein as well,” said Adv. Beatri Kruger from the Unit for Children’s Rights at the University of the Free State (UFS).

Adv. Kruger was instrumental in completing and availing the first comprehensive Research Report on Human Trafficking in South Africa to the public on 23 March 2010. As a member of the Reference Group advising on interim research reports on human trafficking, she contributed to the report. The report proves to be an extremely valuable tool for, among others, government departments and non-governmental organisations that use it as a guideline in planning interventions to combat human trafficking.

The Unit for Children’s Rights is also one of the founding members of the Free State Human Trafficking Forum (FHF). To react on and fight the disturbing reality of human trafficking more efficiently, a number of concerned role players such as Child Welfare and other non-governmental organisations, police officials, prosecutors, social workers, health practitioners, private businesses, churches and community organisations joined forces and formed the FHF. The Unit for Children’s Rights hosts monthly meetings at the UFS to facilitate the coordination of this multi-disciplinary counter-trafficking team.

Adv. Kruger is very excited about some of the successes of the FHF; such as the story of Soma (not her real name). This Indian woman was recruited in India by an Indian couple who are staying in South Africa, by promising her a good job in South Africa. However, instead of finding the promised job, Soma was extensively exploited for labour purposes. With the help of a “good Samaritan” she managed to escape from the perpetrators and fled to the police. Soma was removed to ensure her safety and accommodated in a safe place in Bloemfontein. Counselling and other services were rendered to her by an organisation which is also a member of the FHF. One of the challenges facing Soma and the service providers was that Soma speaks a foreign dialect and for weeks a trusted interpreter could not be found.

This obstacle rendered communication with her to the bare minimum. The perpetrators were arrested but unfortunately the new comprehensive counter-trafficking law is not in force yet. Therefore the perpetrators could only be convicted of some offences in the Immigration Act. However, due to good police investigation followed by shrewd consultations, the perpetrators agreed to pay for the victim’s return flight to India as well as for the flight ticket of the investigating officer to escort her to safety. The Unit for Children’s Rights did networking with Ms Maria Nikolovska of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), who agreed to assist in the safe reintegration of Soma in India. Soma is now on her way back home.

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