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UFS students bring joy to Turflaagte community through Ubuntu Street Store initiative

22 August 2024 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied

Turflaagte community Engagement — UFS students provide essential supplies and support to Turflaagte community members during a recent outreach event.

In celebration of Women's Month, the student-led South Africa-Sweden University Forum (SASUF) structure at the University of the Free State (UFS) – in collaboration with Kovsie Act (Active Civic Teaching) – reached out to the Turflaagte community in Chris Hani, Bloemfontein, bringing much-needed support in the form of soup, clothing, and skills building.

Simba Matema, Assistant Researcher in the Office for International Affairs at the university, UFS student representative, and National Coordinator for the SASUF student network, emphasised the importance of the event. "One of our key goals at SASUF is to implement a number of initiatives that address and offer solutions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Our main objective was to make a positive impact by giving back to the local community, in line with the UN SDGs of Zero Hunger and No Poverty. This outreach programme also aligns with the UFS values of care and social justice, striving to uphold the dignity of all people."

Change agents within the community

Matema pointed out the role of students as change agents within the community, advocating for social justice and responsibility. Through this outreach, they equipped community members with essential skills, such as career guidance and preparations for entering the workforce, including CV and cover letter writing. "Overall, this initiative celebrated the spirit of ubuntu, as reflected in the name 'Ubuntu Street Store’," he added.

The students, with the support of the UFS community, made a significant difference in Turflaagte. In addition to the skills transfer, they collected clothing and received bread and soup donations from the residences, KovsieInn, the Office for International Affairs, the Faculty of Theology and Religion, and the St Vincent de Paul Church. For a day, they had the opportunity to offer immediate relief from hunger and cold while also restoring hope to those in need. According to Likhona Dladla from Kovsie Act, they distributed 47 boxes of clothing, nearly 1 000 loaves of bread (956), and 80 litres of soup. The vegetables used in the soup, including tomatoes, peppers, and cabbage, were harvested from on-campus food gardens coordinated by Kovsie Act.

The first of many collaborations

The Ubuntu community outreach project was open to the broader student community, with participation from all Residence Committee portfolio holders responsible for representation in the Kovsie ACT committee.

Blessings Mbuthuma, Vice-President of the UFS SASUF student structure, who attended the event, said that the outreach provided valuable insight into what poverty truly looks like in our society. "We often learn about these concepts but rarely experience them firsthand. Engaging with the community made me realise that, even though my resources are limited, I could still make a difference,” he remarked.

Matema said that this initiative is just the start of a collaboration between the SASUF UFS student structure and Kovsie Act, aiming to broaden the impact of their community engagement efforts. He sees the partnership enhancing internationalisation by extending the reach of their activities beyond the university, Bloemfontein, and even South Africa, all while beginning to fulfil the SDGs in a meaningful way.

Chevon Slambee, responsible for Strategic Projects and Virtual Engagement in the Office for International Affairs and the local SASUF Coordinator, expressed optimism about the future of this partnership. "This is just the first of many collaborations that will showcase SASUF's mandate to conceptualise, collaborate, and implement initiatives aimed at addressing the SDGs. For us, it is important to act in the community, embrace the ubuntu principle, and make a tangible difference in people's lives," she commented.

News Archive

UFS launches history book

2007-02-02


Attending the launch of the UFS history book were, from the left: Prof Stef Coetzee, Prof Francois Retief, Prof Wynand Mouton, Mr Pieter Cox (Chairperson on Sasol) and Prof Frederick Fourie (Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS). Profs Coetzee, Retief and Mouton are former rectors of the UFS.
UFS launches history book The University of the Free State (UFS) today launched its history book titled, From Grey to Gold, on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein. “The history of the UFS is one of faith, hope, struggle and determination. The book tells a fascinating story that stretches over a 100 years. It is divided into five main phases, which tells about the growth of the UFS from a poor Free State community to a mature university. Interesting stories about student days, sport, rag and hostel activities are included in each phase,” Prof Frederick Fourie, Rector and Vice-Chancellor said during the launch of the book. “One cannot know where you are going if you don’t know where you are coming from. You have a clearer idea of the issues facing an institution if you know the history. A book like this one is also an important source of reference for staff on the campus,” said Prof Fourie. The first research for the book was done from 1999-2003 by Prof Leo Barnard from the Department of History and a team of researchers. They also compiled the first manuscript. During the last three years, Prof Fourie was closely involved with the writing of the final phase and finishing off the history book project. “It was an honour to be so closely involved with the story of the UFS because now I have a better understanding of the institution, its people, its culture and its way of thinking. For any rector of a university, such an understanding of its institution is a requirement,” Prof Fourie said. The book is partly sponsored by Sasol. During the launch of the book, Mr Pieter Cox, Chairperson of Sasol said the company and the UFS have been partners for 57 years. “Both Sasol and the UFS are striving for excellence – Sasol for excellence in technology and the UFS for excellence in education,” said Mr Cox. “It was an easy decision when the UFS approached Sasol for financial support of the history book. Its a formidable piece of work, something Prof Fourie and the UFS can be proud of,” said Mr Cox. The book consists of more than 500 pages with hundreds of photos and a wide range of supplements of office-bearers, awards and achievements (including national and sporting colours). A timeline framework, putting the history of the UFS in context with the history of the Free State, South Africa and of the world, is also included. Besides the supplements, the history book also tells the story of amongst others the establishment of the UFS; the role of its founding fathers; black pioneers of transformation; the establishment and development of academic departments and faculties; student numbers; pioneers and trends in research; academic entrepreneurs; campus issues and campus politics; interesting facts and stories about student life (rag, intervarsity and cheerleaders, sport and the Springboks, hostel traditions); the admission of black students and anguish about race; language and culture; the development of the Main Campus; the Tickey and the Banana and much more. Emphasis is placed on a very high level of quality. “It is not every day that the university becomes hundred years old and the institution will be measured by the quality of the book. We cannot say the UFS is a university of excellence if the book does not reflect that,” Ms Edma Pelzer, Director: Physical Resources and Special Projects said. Ms Pelzer managed the project as part of the last mentioned part of her portfolio. The search for photographs was an important aspect of the book and it was a big task to find photographs and write captions. It took almost a year to translate and prepare the English edition and almost ten months to ensure the accuracy thereof, especially to correctly translate the typical Free State and UFS terminology and naturally to complete the English manuscript’s layout and proofreading. In the mean time the cover pages were designed and in September 2006 the manuscript went into the final print process. The Afrikaans title is: Van Sink tot Sandsteen tot Graniet. The cost of the book is R380 per copy. Those who already ordered the book will soon receive their copy. Orders can be placed by contacting Mr Dawid Kriel at UFS Marketing on 051 401 3409 or on the UFS web site at www.ufs.ac.za. The book is also available at Van Schaik Book Store on the Thakaneng Bridge, UFS Main Campus and at Fascination Books in Mimosa Mall, Bloemfontein. Media release Issued by: Lacea Loader Media Representative Tel: (051) 401-2584 Cell: 083 645 2454 E-mail: loaderl@mail.uovs.ac.za 2 February 2007

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