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03 October 2024
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Story Ansie Barnard
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Photo Supplied
From left to right: Londeka Mkhwanazi, Semither Mkhize, Salima van Schalkwyk, Slindokuhle Ndlovu, Asanda Mpinga, Mantombi Molefe, Ntombinkulu Khumalo, Mosebjadi Chauke and Thembinkosi Mkhwanazi.
The Amrut Foundation, in partnership with the University of the Free State (UFS), successfully hosted its Inaugural Innovathon at the UFS Qwaqwa Campus. This competition is designed to identify and support innovative products and services that not only generate profit but also contribute to the public good, with a strong emphasis on ethical business practices. Through this collaboration, students gain national exposure for their businesses and receive support to create sustainable social enterprises.
Five teams of student social entrepreneurs from the Qwaqwa campus were shortlisted to participate in the regional finals. Their selection was based on ventures that adhered to a social entrepreneurship model and demonstrated plans for long-term profitability and sustainability.
During the Innovathon, a panel of judges from the UFS, the Amrut Foundation, and the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) selected two outstanding teams to represent the UFS at the national finals, which will take place in October. The winning ventures, Biofly-Pro and Root Rescue were each awarded R20,000 to further develop and expand their initiatives.
Hemang Desai, Executive Director of the Amrut Foundation, expressed his enthusiasm for the event: "Amrut is proud to co-host the Free State leg of the inaugural Innovation Challenge with the UFS. Supporting students with entrepreneurial ambitions that align with societal care is one of our key focus areas."
Dr Grey Magaiza, Senior Lecturer and Deputy Director for the Centre for Gender and Africa Studies at the UFS, highlighted the importance of social entrepreneurship: “Social entrepreneurship is a collaborative effort towards creating sustainable and ethical business processes. The two winning projects embody these principles, and we look forward to their continued growth. In line with our Vision 130, social entrepreneurship can serve as a critical lever for university-community engagement.”
Congratulations to Biofly-Pro and Root Rescue on their well-deserved achievements!
New residences for Qwaqwa Campus
2010-02-17
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Rev Hosiah Nkoana
Photo: Mangaliso Radebe. |
The Qwaqwa Campus of the University of the Free State will have new residences before the end of this year to ease the growing demand for student accommodation.
According to the Deputy Director of Housing and Residence Affairs at the Qwaqwa campus, Rev Hosiah Nkoana (pictured), the university is spending a lot of money on the rent and maintenance of the residences of the former colleges of education, Tshiya and Bonamelo, that the university has been using since 2004 to accommodate students.
The construction of these new residences will be carried out in two phases.
“The first phase will be university-funded and the residences will accommodate 200 students, male and female. The second phase will be a private development by a private developer. The residences in this phase of construction will accommodate 500 students – and this will be its first phase. It will then be followed by a second phase, depending on the demand for accommodation,” said Rev Nkoana.
“These residences will not necessarily be state-of-the-art residences but they will have good facilities that will underwrite our approach that residences are not just sleeping places.”
“We are developing a philosophy of turning our residences into learning and living areas. So, to get there we are going to put up a computer lab with 100-150 computers between the residences so that all resident students can access them to enhance the learning side of residence life. I hope this will change the way our students see residences,” he said.
Currently the residences at the Qwaqwa Campus can accommodate 770 students. The new residences are expected to be ready for occupation in the 2011 academic year.
Media Release:
Mangaliso Radebe
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2828
Cell: 078 460 3320
E-mail: radebemt@ufs.ac.za
17 February 2010