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SASUF students dig in to fight hunger at the UFS

23 June 2025 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied

There is something powerful about getting your hands in the soil, even more so when it is to help someone else. That is exactly what the group of South Africa–Sweden University Forum (SASUF) students did at the end of May, marking World Hunger Day by joining forces with Kovsie ACT to maintain and prepare food garden beds on the University of the Free State (UFS) Bloemfontein Campus.

The SASUF student team is helping with the upkeep of 40 vegetable beds in the food tunnels near Welwitschia Residence. These beds were established to supply fresh produce to students in need – a small effort with a big purpose.

Simba Matema, Research Assistant from the Office for International Affairs and SASUF Student Network National Coordinator, says this project is about more than planting vegetables. “We want to make sure that students who are struggling financially can benefit. But we also want to learn, to grow skills in agriculture and sustainability,” he explains.

A learning experience with real impact

Second-year student Lesego Moeleso says being involved in the garden is “a refreshing change of scenery” and a great way to “interact with students from different fields of study”. He adds: “We all want to help our fellow students who don’t have enough food.”

Third-year UFS student Njabulo Sibeko agrees. “It’s a unique mix of academic enrichment, personal growth, and community engagement,” he says. “Even if the impact is small, it goes a long way. This project gives us a chance for hands-on learning and skills development, environmental sustainability and awareness, as well as social connections.”

Sibeko believes the garden also works as a “live experiment for environmental education”, teaching about “composting, water conservation, and organic farming”. He says, “Different vegetables have different nutrition, and if we can hold small workshops as to why we need to eat specific vegetables during different seasons, it will help teach us about the value they have for our body.”

Final-year Law student Shemsa Nzeyimana says her favourite part of being involved is “seeing the impact of our efforts” and “watching the garden grow and flourish”. “I love being part of a team that shares a common vision for creating positive change through sustainable practices,” she says. “And the fact that I get to be out of my comfort zone while building my social skills.”

Towards a sustainable solution

Nzeyimana hopes the garden “will become a hub for community engagement”, connecting students, staff, and locals while promoting sustainable food systems. “The garden directly addresses food security while also serving as a hands-on learning space for nutritional education and sustainable agriculture,” she adds. “By promoting sustainable gardening practices, the garden raises environmental awareness and encourages the campus community to think critically about food systems and their impact.”

At the UFS, where 59% of students report going hungry and 60% skip meals for financial reasons, the need is undeniable. Matema says by “giving students a role in the solution”, the stigma around food aid is reduced. “It becomes a shared project, not a handout.”

As Nzeyimana sums it up: “This garden can become a space for learning, connection, and hope – a place where change grows from the ground up.”

Besides Kovsie ACT, the initiative includes partners such as the Institute for Groundwater Studies, University Estates, the UFS Food Environment Office, and residences. External partners such as Tiger Brands, Sakata Seeds, and Kwaggafontein Nursery also support the project.

News Archive

Kovsie student and reigning Miss Lesotho en route to Miss World 2015

2015-11-03

Relebohile Kobeli - the beauty queen of Lesotho

Relebohile Kobeli was crowned Miss Lesotho 2015 earlier this year, and is now en route to Miss World International 2015 in China to represent the mountainous Kingdom. The beauty pageant, which takes place between November and December, will see contestants from over 150 countries contending for the title.

The nineteen-year-old second-year Geography and Environmental Management student at the University of the Free State (UFS) also won Miss Lesotho in 2014. She holds other titles, such as Miss Outeniqua 2014, and First Princess Face of Lesotho 2013.

What would it mean to be the first from Lesotho to sit on the Miss World throne?

I believe that it would be a turning point for pageantry in Lesotho. We are one of the few countries that do not fully recognise pageants, and the value they add to the tourism industry. Winning the throne would be putting into practice the theory that we, as beauty queens in Lesotho, always practice what we preach.

Since beginning this Miss World contest, in what way have you reached out to your community through the Beauty with a Purpose project?

My Beauty with a Purpose project focuses mainly on introducing and helping start up sustainable projects in communities. I wanted to move away from giving people donations to giving them the skills to ensure their long-term livelihood.

What skill sets do you possess that are essential to succeeding as an international first queen?

I am a very creative individual who thinks on her feet. That is important for me because, when you are far away from home, should things go wrong, there's no room for panic. I am sociable and human-centered, I relate to different people, regardless of cultural differences, and, as an international queen, it is important to be appreciative of others’ way of life, regardless of how different it is are from your own.

Rolene Strauss, the current Miss World, stated her ambition to capitalise on promoting forgiveness, hope, and unity during her tenure. What are you hoping to achieve, given the chance as her successor?

I would definitely speak about self-reliance among young women and the youth at large. I come from a country where not everyone is lucky enough to get a job. In such cases, young men and women fall into crime, young women become victims of sexual abuse or prostitution, and, although one may argue that that is self-reliance, is it sustainable? Is it not escaping one fire to jump into another? It is important for me to represent every girl who has ever had a dream. I am spreading the message of possibilities when the world is yelling "Impossible!"

What has been the highlight of your term as Miss Lesotho?

My greatest highlight was finding myself through service to others. I discovered that the more I invest in myself, the more of me I can give and share.

The Miss Lesotho 2016 competition is around the corner, what words of wisdom would you like to share with hopefuls?

Pageantry is not all about pretty dresses and tiaras. It is hard work. Always be humble, and remember that, whatever the outcome, it is your life's journey. You are destined for greatness. Don't deny yourself that privilege.

In your experience, what is the Kovsie feeling referred to in the maxim “Only a Kovsie knows the feeling”?

It is the desire to want to be great, the motivation to live to my full potential.

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