Boost for Food Security at NMMU George Campus

Food security at the NMMU George Campus has been boosted with the allocation of a R20 000 donation from the Office of the Campus Principal through the Madibaz Diamonds Development Fund.

The first disbursement of R5 000 has already been released to purchase non-perishable food items to supplement the stock of the on-campus Food Bank.
The decision to channel these funds to address this immediate need also supports the university’s Academic Recovery Plan.

It will certainly assist our young Madibaz to focus on their studies by ensuring access to adequate nutrition in those cases where it needs to be supplemented, says Campus Principal, Prof Quinton Johnson, who initiated the George Campus Student Development Fund three years ago.

Students who need to access this service should, as in the past, contact the Campus Health Services (Sr Mietjie Kock, or Ms Antoinette Piet 044 801 5126), Student Governance Department, which administers the Food Bank.

Pictured sharing Ubuntu during the visit to the NMMU George Campus by members of the Conville congregation were (left to right) Antoinette Piet, NMMU Clinic Services and Food Bank, Petie Booysen, Corine du Plessis, Keeanu Manuel, Isabel Louw, Fr Deon Manuel, NMMU Educational Psychologist and Snr Cousellor in the HEADS Unit, Dr Bridget Johnson, Lizzie Joseph, Anna Meyer and Maria Basson.

Stock at the NMMU George Campus Food Bank has been replenished, in preparation of an increased demand by nutritionally compromised students during the upcoming examinations.

This donation – the first of four to be effected between now and the end of the year – is anticipated to contribute to student wellness as the university pulls out all the stops to complete the 2016 Academic Year.

A delighted Ms Antoinette Piet was in attendance to take charge of the supplies which was delivered to the Food Bank last week.

Generosity begins at home

Have some cake… Charlene Cupido (Business and Economic Sciences) (f.l.t.r.), Bongi Mqutyana (Campus Cashier) and Clyde Booysen with the delectable treats they “won” in the draw during the recent Cake Raffle amongst staff. In the spirit of Ubuntu, the cake was shared with other staff members during a tea-break.

In keeping with the spirit of Ubuntu, one of the values we live by as Madibaz, NMMU George staff, fellow students and the community, in the form of an Anglican Church group from Conville, as well as a number of businesses and service providers have been playing their part in supporting the Campus’ ongoing Food Security Programme.

These initiatives make a big difference in the lives of students who do not have the financial means to secure regular meals, enabling them to focus on their studies, so that they may succeed and move on to play an even greater role in the social and economic empowerment of their communities.

The call to support students, especially during the difficult winter exam time, led to the intensifying of a number of ongoing initiatives, such as the regular raffling amongst staff of cakes donated by Mrs Rosina Booysen, wife of Mr Clyde Booysen from the Technical Services Unit. Proceeds from the raffle are placed in a fund that supports students in need.

While many staff members, alumni and students have also anonymously donated non-perishable food items to the Campus Food Bank, the Finance Department took the lead in kindling staff’s competitive spirit, by challenging the combined Marketing and Corporate Relations, ICT Services and Protection Services team to match or improve on their generous donation of food products.

Staff from the NMMU George Library Services also reciprocated by collecting and donating groceries and basic consumable items to the Food Bank.

This gauntlet will now be passed on to other units, and in this way assist the Food Bank with its recommended “grocery list”. The warm hearted Madibaz are sure to rise to the challenge!

 Church community also opens their hearts to NMMU students 

Funky Finance… (f.l.t.r.) Stacey Swigelaar (Campus Accountant), Willize Venter (receptionist), Zandi Mpange (Finance Officer), Bongi Mqutyana (Cashier) and (seated) Victor Meyer (Logistics Officer), threw down the gauntlet, challenging other units on campus to join them in assisting to keep the Food Bank for students stocked with essential items.

In view of the existing needs at university, and in acknowledging the ongoing community outreach programmes by the NMMU such as the invited talk by Dr. Bridget Johnson to the young adults at St Paul’s Anglican Church, the members of the congregation reciprocated by visiting the campus and serving a warm hearty meal to students in need of support.

This initiative complements various other initiatives by staff and students to assist those in need.

Riaan van Zyl went a step further to secure additional stock of non-perishable food and other small items from sponsors which will also be used for staff raffles in aid of the Food Bank.  Thank you to African Express (Praveen Singh), Intrust Risk Mitigators (Sean Norris), Autozone George (Messrs Johan Prinsloo and Abraham Seconds), Loerie Supa Quick (Rene Baker) and Van Rooyen Motors (Neels and Cisca van Rooyen) for supporting this worthwhile cause!  A warm thank you also goes to Multi Properties who had responded with a donation of groceries secured through NMMU George BCom alumnus and lecturer in Applied Accounting, Lindi Venter.

Thumbs up for Ubuntu … (from left) Alet Van Tonder (Marketing & Corporate Relations), Garth Smith (ICT Services), Riaan Van Zyl (Protection Services), Trevor Blane (ICT) and Thami Douse (MCR) who rallied together to respond to the Finance Team’s challenge.

Feeding both mind and body … NMMU George Campus Library staff needed no prompting to also play their part in contributing to food security on the campus. Pictured with some of the donations of food and basic consumables are (f.l.t.r.) Lungisile Magoso, Malibongwe Luyenge and Ndileka Mtshinzana, Campus Librarian.