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19 September 2024 | Story Anthony Mthembu | Photo Anthony Mthembu
GEADO donates sanitary towels to community development initiative 2024
From left to right: Morwesi Malebo, Founder of ‘Give a Flower for a Change’, and Geraldine Lengau, Senior Officer in the Unit for Institutional Change and Social Justice at UFS.

As part of its ongoing Dignity Kit Awareness Campaign, launched in 2023, the Gender Equality and Anti-Discrimination Office (GEADO) at the University of the Free State (UFS) recently contributed to a community development initiative titled ‘Give a Flower for a Change.’ A batch of sanitary towels was recently officially handed over at the UFS Bloemfontein Campus, facilitated by Geraldine Lengau, Senior Officer in the Unit for Institutional Change and Social Justice.

According to Lengau, GEADO has made several similar donations on campus, benefitting initiatives such as the ‘No Student Hungry’ (NSH) programme, staff members through the Office of Organisational Development and Employee Wellness, as well as student walk-ins, among others. This latest donation extends the reach of the Dignity Kit Campaign beyond the campus community. ‘’This forms part of our mandate to raise awareness, particularly in uplifting the dignity of women. It is essential for the university to provide these dignity kits, as it demonstrates its commitment to addressing gender-based violence, supporting survivors, and promoting awareness,’’ said Lengau. She further emphasised that such donations foster a broader effort by the university to create a culture of respect, empathy, and support for surrounding communities, thus advancing social justice as articulated in the UFS’s Vision 130 strategic plan. 

Supporting Give a flower for a Change

The sanitary towels were handed over to Morwesi Malebo, founder of ‘Give a Flower for a Change’. According to Malebo, the initiative works closely with Unity Primary School in Bloemfontein, aiming to uplift the lives of children, particularly those from previously disadvantaged households. ‘’I have heard of instances at the school where some learners resorted to using cloth during their periods because they lacked access to sanitary towels,” Malebo shared. The donation will now help provide the necessary supplies to these children.

The initiative relies heavily on donations, accepting sanitary towels, school shoes, toiletries, and other essential items. Malebo stressed the significant impact of these contributions, noting that the learners are ‘’incredibly grateful, and the positive change in their lives is visible.” Without such resources, learners often feel self-conscious, which affects their performance at school. Collaborations with partners like GEADO, Malebo added, are crucial to the development of communities like hers. Consequently, she hopes to expand the initiative to high schools across Bloemfontein and maintain a strong partnership with GEADO.

News Archive

Blood. Sweat. Tears. And six Kovsie artists at the cutting edge.
2014-04-02


Artwork: Hinder, Photograph by Chantal de Jager



Artwork: Immolations for our Carrion King by Antoinette Pretorius
Blood, sweat and tears – the theme of this year’s Absa L’Atelier Art Competition. Boldly taking up the challenge, six Kovsie artists gritted their way to a place in the national round.

Eight finalists were recently announced at the regional exhibition hosted by the Johannes Stegmann Art Gallery on the Bloemfontein Campus. These artists will now proceed to exhibit their cutting-edge work at the Absa Gallery in Johannesburg in July. There they will compete nationally for the most prestigious art award in South Africa.


Winners


The names of our Kovsie regional winners are: 
  • Monet Bosma, fourth-year Fine Arts student;
  • Chantal de Jager, Kovsie alumnus, master’s degree in Architecture;
  • Johandi du Plessis, fourth-year Fine Arts student;
  • Louis Kruger, Kovsie alumnus, master’s degree in Fine Arts;
  • Adelheid von Maltitz, junior lecturer at UFS Department of Fine Arts and
  • Antoinette Pretorius, previous Kovsie student.
The two remaining spots were taken up by Helena de Waal (Underlying unity, Ceramics and mixed media) and Eljana van der Merwe (Diary of a white elephant, Oil on canvas).

 
Artwork: Sorting teas by Monet Bosma


Prizes


Artwork: Compulsive mourning by Adelheid von Maltitz
The highly-desired overall first prize comprises a six-months sabbatical at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, France, including R150 000 during the stay.

The second prize is given to the most promising artist, which includes a three-month sabbatical at the Cité, French language classes and nationwide touring exhibitions.


Two additional merit prizes are awarded. The first carries a two-month residency on Sylt, the northernmost of Germany's islands, and the other a month-long Ampersand fellowship in New York.

The Absa L’Atelier Art Competition is presented annually by Absa in conjunction with South African National Association for the Visual Arts (SANAVA).

 

 

 

 

 

 

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