A group of young people from The University of the Free State recently started an initiative to help feed destitute students on a weekly basis, since the lockdown began.
The UFS Scout Rovers started the Help a Student Campaign upon realizing that students could not return home, were in dire need of food on campus. With the help of international donors, the students were able to organize food packages and R250 food vouchers.
Lona nkewu, Help a Student Campaign participant said the food handovers are done once a week and, so far 85 students in Bloemfontein had received food packages and 32 digital vouchers have been provided for students outside Bloemfontein who are in distress in their homes.
Another participant, Siphila Dlamini added: “We select students who really need help from applications we receive and from there we send messages for them to collect the food parcels or send food coupons to students”.Dlamini said that they only have 50 or 60 food parcels to give out at the moment before they run out of funding, and this is despite them receiving 585 applications for the food relief packages.
Thobeka Abuti, Help a Student Campaign participant said: “We are however trying to explore other initiatives like students soup kitchen and come up with ideas so that post the initial end date of the drive, we still tackle food insecurity problems among students”.
