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24 July 2025 | Story Lunga Luthuli | Photo Supplied
Mandela Day event at Heidedal Child and Youth Centre
Attending the Mandela Day event at Heidedal Child and Youth Centre, from left to right: Prof Joseph Pali, Associate Professor in the Department of Practical and Missional Theology; Bishop Billyboy Ramahlele, Director of Community Engagement; Jeannet Molopyane, Director of UFS Library and Information Services; Prof John Klaasen, Dean of the Faculty of Theology and Religion; Caroline Nombula, Heidedal Child and Youth Care Centre; and Kegomodicwe Phuthi, Assistant Director for Marketing and Community Engagement at UFS Library and Information Services.

In a powerful display of its commitment to societal transformation, the University of the Free State (UFS) marked Nelson Mandela International Day on 18 July with a collaborative outreach initiative at the Heidedal Child and Youth Care Centre (CYCC). 

Driven by the theme of empowerment through education and creativity, the Faculty of Theology and Religion, Library and Information Services (LIS), Community Engagement Office, School of Financial Planning Law, and UFS Makerspace partnered to officially launch a library at the centre – a milestone aimed at fostering a love of reading and academic development among the youth.

Jeanette Molopyane, Director of LIS, emphasised the lasting impact of the project. “The establishment of this library is about making a meaningful and enduring difference in the lives of these children. Through regular interaction with books and the reading club, we aim to inspire a love for reading that will enhance intellectual growth, build confidence, and open doors to a brighter future,” she said. 

Molopyane added that the initiative reflects UFS’s broader mission to empower communities and support the development of future leaders beyond the borders of its campuses. 

Prof John Klaasen, Dean of the Faculty of Theology and Religion, underscored the importance of engaged scholarship in meaningful research. “This was not just a day of service but a demonstration of what is possible through collaboration. It reflects a theology and religion that serves beyond the classroom and affirms our collective role in shaping a better future for all,” he noted. “Mandela Day reminds us of our calling to reconciliation, compassion, and shared responsibility – values that must anchor our teaching, research, and outreach.”

The initiative left a profound impression on the Heidedal CYCC. Carolina Nombula, representing the Centre, shared the gratitude of the staff and children: “Mandela Day brought a deep sense of joy, belonging, and dignity. The library, especially, is life-changing – it provides a safe, inspiring space for learning, imagination, and personal growth. It reminds our children that they matter, their dreams are valid, and they are not forgotten.”

Through collaborative efforts such as this, the UFS continues to give tangible expression to its mandate as a caring institution – one that champions opportunity, nurtures potential, and works towards a more equitable and inclusive society. 

News Archive

Kovsie students’ artworks selected for Absa L’Atelier Awards 2013
2013-03-24

 

Learners from Ferrum High School in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal, admiring the artworks at the Centenary gallery.
Photo: Linda Fekisi
24 March 2013

Four artworks by Kovsie students have been selected for the 2013 Absa L’Atelier Awards. The artworks will form part of the national Absa L’Atelier exhibition later this year, which will be held at the Absa Gallery in Johannesburg.

Mandi Bezuidenhout, Louis Kruger and Johannes Botma, all master’s students in Fine Arts, have been selected as finalists for the central region of the prestigious competition.Two artworks of Louis, and one each of Mandi and Johannes, have been selected for the awards. Pauline Gutter, a former Kovsie student, has also been selected as finalist for the central region.

The Absa L’Atelier is South Africa’s most prestigious art competition and is held annually for artists between the ages of 21 and 35. This award not only ensures recognition for South Africa’s emerging artists, but also affords them the opportunity to develop their talents abroad. The winner of last year’s competition, Elrie Joubert, graduated with a master’s in Fine Arts from the UFS in 2010.

Four prizes are available in 2013’s competition. The first prize consists of R125 000 and a residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris. An Apersand Foundation Residency in New York City and a Sylt Foundation Residency on the Island of Sylt, Germany, will be granted through two merit awards. The most promising artist will receive the Gerard Sekoto Award of R80 000, as well as a residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris.

The Absa L’Atelier art competition is run in conjunction with the South African National Association for the Visual Arts (SANAVA).

An exhibition of artworks from the central region is currently on display at the Centenary Gallery, upstairs in the Centenary Complex, until 28 March 2013. The gallery will be open on 20, 25, 26, 27, and 28 March from 10:00 to 15:00.


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