Latest News Archive
Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
03 October 2024
|
Story Ansie Barnard
|
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!
SAVN winners of bursaries do Kovsies proud
2010-03-12
 |
At the event were, from the left: Susan Conradie, bursary winner; Susan Esterhuizen, bursary winner; Prof. Van Niekerk and Camille Ferreira, bursary winner.
Photo: Lize du Plessis |
The Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, German and French at the University of the Free State (UFS) recently held an informal function during which recognition was given to recipients of bursaries awarded by the Suid-Afrikaanse Vereniging vir Neerlandistiek (SAVN).
This year the UFS are boasting nine bursary winners, of which six are currently busy with their third-year studies, while the other three students are busy with their honours study. According to Prof. Angelique van Niekerk, a lecturer at the department and representative of the SAVN, the bursaries are sponsored by the Nederlandse Taalunie (NTU).
Students with merit in Afrikaans and Dutch who continue their studies in the subject may apply for the bursaries at the SAVN committee countrywide. – Lize du Plessis