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18 March 2024 | Story Athembele Yangaphi | Photo SUPPLIED
Shoe Box
Supporting Student Success: UFS initiatives like the Santa Shoebox Project and the No Student Hungry Programme combat food insecurity, providing essential resources for students and fostering academic growth and community impact.

The University of the Free State's (UFS’s) Division of Student Affairs recently received a donation of food parcels for needy students from the Gift of the Givers Foundation. The donation forms part of the work done by the Division, the Food Environment Office and Kovsie ACT to positively impact students.

Jady Carelse, Assistant Officer in the Food Environment Office, accepted Gift of the Givers’ 250 food parcels at the UFS’s Bloemfontein Campus. “Starting a year can be very overwhelming for most students, especially first-time-entering students, as they are still trying to adapt to the change of environment,” Carelse said. “The Food Environment Office strives to ensure that food insecurity is not part of their struggle.”

Since its inception in 2011, the No Student Hungry Programme (NSH), a first in a higher education institution, continues to support students with food packages, especially those not funded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme.

“The NSH has impacted the lives of many students through the food parcel initiative. We have received testimonies from our previous and current beneficiaries on how the initiative has impacted their lives in pursuing their academics,” added Carelse.

The NSH programme's food parcel initiative and the Santa Shoebox Project by the Division of Student Affairs are vital in supporting students, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, in their academic pursuits.

The Santa Shoebox Project, which ran from 1 November 2023 to 1 March 2024, is one of many other initiatives that the Kovsie ACT office is highly passionate about. A-Step Assistant, Likhona Dladla, managing Kovsie ACT Community Service Portfolio, said, “We strive to be a helping hand to students by providing them with essential items such as toiletries, sanitary pads, stationery, and clothes to make their academic journey bearable.”

For the 2023/2024 Santa Shoebox Project, UFS residences donated 246 shoeboxes containing donations of toiletries for students in need. Residence Committee members responsible for community portfolios collected the donations from residence students and delivered the items in shoeboxes to the Kovsie ACT office.

“We believe that the donations we have received are of a high standard for the remaining projects and initiatives,” Dladla said.

Kovsie ACT welcomes donations from individuals beyond the university's residential community. Donations can be made directly at the Kovsie ACT office on the Bloemfontein Campus, and the team is ready to assist and accept contributions. Non-residents can also contribute through the annual Big Give donation drive, which encourages donations of non-perishable food items, sanitary pads, and clothing. Look for Big Give donation boxes around campus, gates, and key locations. Stay updated on donation drives and campaigns via campus posters and social media. Please click here to make a monetary donation to support the ‘Back a Buddy’ campaign.  

News Archive

SASOL TRAC laboratory launched at UFS Qwaqwa Campus
2006-05-08

Some of the guests attending the launch of the Sasol TRAC Laboratory at the University of the Free State's (UFS) Qwaqwa Campus were from the left Prof Peter Mbati (Principal of the Qwaqwa Campus), Mrs Zimbini Zwane ( Communications Manager of Sasol Infrachem), Prof Gerhardt  de Klerk (Dean : UFS Faculty of the Humanities), Prof Fred Hugo
 Director of TRAC SA) and Prof Jack van der Linde (Director of RIEP at the UFS).

SASOL TRAC laboratory launched at UFS Qwaqwa Campus

The Research Institute for Education Planning (RIEP) of the University of the Free State (UFS) today unveiled the Sasol TRAC Laboratory at its Qwaqwa campus.

The laboratory will be used to help grade 10, 11 and 12 learners and educators from the Qwaqwa region to conduct the experiments from the physical sciences outcome-based curriculum.

“The Sasol TRAC Laboratory introduces learners not only to the latest technology used by engineers and other scientists in practice but also to stimulate the learner’s interest in the field of science in such a way that more of them will enter into science related careers,” says Mr Cobus van Breda, Co-ordinator of the TRAC Free State Regional Centre.

According to Mr van Breda the newly established Sasol TRAC Laboratory will enable RIEP to train learners and their educators in Physical Sciences.  The laboratory will consist of six work stations equipped with computers and electronic sensors.

“Learners from the Qwaqwa region will visit the Sasol TRAC Laboratory on regular basis to conduct experiments based on the curriculum.  Data will be collected with electronic apparatus and presented as graphs on the computer so that results can be analysed and interpreted,” says Mr van Breda.

“There is a serious shortage of suitable qualified teachers in maths and science in the Qwaqwa region.  Many schools in the region are not yet part of the RIEP project and are in dire need of assistance.  A large number of these schools are in remote areas not reached regularly by intervention programmes,” says Prof Peter Mbati, Principal of the UFS Qwaqwa Campus.

“The establishment of the Sasol TRAC Laboratory at the Qwaqwa Campus provides us the opportunity to engage with our community and assist in the development and training of these vital education subjects.  We are pleased that Sasol agreed to fund the project,” says Prof Mbati.

Students from the Qwaqwa Campus will also benefit from the TRAC programme.   “Some promising students will also undergo further training and become assistants for the TRAC programme,” says Prof Mbati. 

“Nurturing science and mathematical skills is of great importance in growing our national economy. Annually, Sasol invests more than R50 million in supporting mathematical and science education in South Africa. Our primary aim is to increase the number of learners gaining access to tertiary education in the science fields. Therefore, our Corporate Social Investment (CSI) education interventions at secondary school level focus on educator development and direct learner interventions such as the Sasol TRAC Laboratory,” explains Ms Pamilla Mudhray, CSI and SHARP manager at Sasol.

According to Ms Mudhray the implementation of the National Curriculum Statement for physical sciences in the further education and training (FET) phase from 2006, under resourced schools will need greater access to the tools and equipment necessary to teach the syllabus and fulfil the ideals of the curriculum.

TRAC South Africa is a national non-profit programme focused on supporting and expanding science, mathematics and technology education in secondary schools. The programme was first introduced to South Africa in 1994. In 2005, RIEP established the TRAC Free State regional centre on the UFS Main Campus in Bloemfontein.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel:   (051) 401-2584
Cell:  083 645 2454
E-mail:  loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
5 May 2006

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