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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

Internet Broadcast Project wins at International Enterprise Video Awards
2014-08-11

Video: Internet Broadcast Project

In April this year, the ICTISE (ICT Innovation in School Education) division won the first place at the Enterprise Video Awards held in Madison, Wisconsin, USA. Their Internet Broadcast Project (IBP) was the overall winner in the Innovation category – competing against universities and other training institutions from across the world.

The IBP is a collaborative project between the ICTISE and the Free State Department of Education (FSDoE). Broadcasting from the South Campus studio in Bloemfontein, teachers use specialised web-casting technology to present lessons that reach 68 education centres. Lessons cover a range of subjects and broadcast in real time to teachers and learners from Grades 8 to 12, covering 40 Free State towns, including the most rural areas.

Head of the ICTISE Project, Sarietjie Musgrave said, “Each participating school is equipped with 24/7 uncapped internet access, an all-in-one computer (computer, data projector and sound system), a document camera and a printer – the same equipment used in the studio by the expert teachers.

“The technology provided allows learners to communicate with the expert teacher in the studio during a broadcast to the school or learner at no cost. Lessons can be downloaded on to various devices and re-used during teaching time, shared with neighbouring schools, or taken home by learners to help with homework or for revision.

“To date, the IBP catalogue contains over 2 000 video lessons and during 2013 alone, the 68 schools accessed and used these videos 69 305 times. The project has the potential to reach more than 40 000 learners and 1 765 teachers every week.”

Innovation and sustainability form the backbone of this project. Support is provided to teachers and learners in Mathematics, Maths Literacy, Physical Science, Life Science, Geography, English, Accounting, Economics and Business Studies.


The ICTISE has a dedicated technical team to support schools. During broadcasts there is a dedicated helpline and on-site technical support, even in the remotest areas.

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