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01 May 2023 | Story Tobias van den Bergh

During May this year, the University of the Free State Department of Student Counselling and Development (SCD) invites all staff and students to play an active part in their own mental health. Every day. You can do one small thing each day towards better mental health. That is why the campaign is called DoDay – do something today and make it a do day. 
Remember that maintaining mental well-being is like brushing your teeth, so we recommend it daily!

For 30 days, doable mental health activities will be shared on the SCD Instagram and Facebook pages. You will be invited to participate in the activity and share your experience online. We encourage you to take up the challenge and share the skills for better mental health. 

Be successful
As we approach the mid-year exams where staff and students experience added pressure and anxiety, it is the perfect time to dedicate 10 to 15 minutes daily to your mental health. Each week, we will focus on five different mental health building blocks: social wellness, emotional wellness, intellectual wellness, physical wellness, and spiritual wellness. By participating in the different activities each day, you will cover all the different wellness areas. 

Be informed
During the campaign, we will also release insightful podcast interviews with experts who share their personal and professional experiences of each wellness area. It is no secret that communities are stronger together. Let us all work towards collectively improving our mental well-being and supporting one another on this journey. 

Be happy
Improved mental health supports your professional and academic performance. It also helps you to make better decisions and enjoy life more. Improving your mental well-being has never been easier than following the DoDay calendar. You will receive clear guidelines on what to do each day, and you can mark off your progress and share your activities as you go. 

Be a DoDayer

Remember that maintaining mental well-being is like brushing your teeth, so we recommend it daily! Join the UFS Mental Health DoDay drive and take one small daily action for 30 days towards better mental health. Download your 30-day DoDay calendar here and remember to share and inspire others on Instagram. Make every day a Mental Health DoDay!

News Archive

Seminar on mediation and peacemaking in Southern Africa
2011-09-21

Our university will join universities from five other African countries at a seminar in Lusaka, Zambia, from 23 - 25 September 2011, to discuss mediation and peacemaking in Southern Africa.  The Osaka University from Japan will also be present at the seminar.

The seminar follows the conceptualisation of a programme entitled the Southern Africa Oasis of Peace Project by Prof. Hussein Solomon, Senior Professor in Political Science at our university, and Prof. Virgil Hawkins from Osaka University. The project aims to build networks between academics across the world who work in the broad field of conflict resolution and to offer good practical suggestions to policy makers on how to achieve sustainable peace in the Southern African region.
 
Prof. Solomon will deliver a paper on mediation within the context of a war, presenting the case of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), at the seminar. Senior academics from the universities of Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Dar-es-Salaam, Stellenbosch and Pretoria will also deliver presentations.
 
Prof. Solomon said that amongst the envisaged outputs of the seminar are a journal and regular conferences to bring together academics and policy makers.

The Southern Africa Oasis of Peace Project is being funded by the Asia Africa Science Platform Programme and the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science.

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