NO HUNGRY STUDENT PROJECT LAUNCHED
KWALUSENI – On Friday 16 August 2024 at the Kwaluseni Campus, New Wing – Refectory, the “No Student Hungry Project” based at the Student Affairs, Counselling, Career & Development Office was launched. At the Launch, Temabheka Foundation founder, Senator Fezeka Dlamini had mobilised a consortium of companies to help donate food and toiletries for needy and vulnerable University students.
The Programme Director, Mr Babili Kunene, the Student Counsellor set the tone of the event by mentioning that between 2018- 2021, the University recorded a high number of suicides. In 2022, his office with the aim of reducing hunger amongst students intensified the campaign to a fully-fledged project the “No Student Hungry Project” embracing all the campuses. The initiative ensures that vulnerable students could get at least a meal a day that resulted in the decrease in the number of suicides. In the course of 2024, Senator Fezeka of the Temabheka Foundation knocked on their doors and mentioned that she wanted to help with the project.
First to speak at the event was the Vice Chancellor, Professor Justice Thwala who mentioned that some students at the University cannot afford even a single meal a day. He mentioned that UNESWA was home to approximately 9000 students, 50% of whom were sponsored students while the other 50% were self-sponsored. He went on to mention that most of them faced many challenges some of those made them fail to provide for their basic needs such as food. He noted that the number of suicides rose from 6 in 2008 to 12 in 2021 attributable to a number of factors some of which were not being able to provide for basic needs. He implored politicians that had attended the event to advocate for increased funding tertiary education. He thanked Temabheka Foundation for the initiative to assist with the project and also invited companies and individuals to follow suit.
Next to speak was the Member of Parliament for the Kwaluseni Inkhundla, Honourable Sibusiso Shongwe who mentioned that the Kwaluseni constituency was grateful to Temabheka Foundation and that they would rally behind the Foundation to assist vulnerable students. The Member of Parliament mentioned that he had been living in Kwaluseni for the past 13 years and had assisted students who had come to him hungry and requesting for food. He noted that due to being needy, some students resort to engaging in activities which they later regret. He requested businesses in Kwaluseni to assist the University students. He then requested the University to engage Parliament and the Kwaluseni constituency should there be issues that require solutions. The MP mentioned that the students were not only in need of food but also laptops and scholarships.
Will there be a future for the country if we do not support the vulnerable students?”
Senator Fezeka – Temabheka Foundation
Senator Fezeka Dlamini noted that the event was “not just a launch but a movement to assist umliba wema Swati, the students.” When she first came to the University, she did not know how deep-rooted the problem was. She sat down with the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs, Counselling Office and got to know that NERCHA reports had mentioned that there was a rise in HIV infections in Kwaluseni among young women and adolescent girls. “Will there be a future for the country if we do not support the vulnerable students?” she asked. She mentioned that annually, the number of scholarships offered at tertiary institutions was decreasing and parents were paying for self-sponsored students and life was proving to be very difficult even to employed parents. Life was harder for children from child-headed families who were now studying at the University. She thanked the Honourable MP from Kwaluseni and mentioned that together, they were representatives of the youth in Parliament and her Inkhundla was the youth of Eswatini. She mentioned that they had received a list of 650 vulnerable students and they were working at ensuring that no student should be hungry and no student should become a sex worker as young as 14 years. She thanked the sponsors that had been able to attend the function and that the sponsors would not only give the students food but would also empower them with life skills. They would teach the students how to have a good relationship with money. She then appealed to all emaSwati to assist with non-perishable food, toiletries, clothing, sanitary pads and empowerment sessions.
Sponsors got a chance to pledge
Premier Bakeries, represented by Mr Mfundo Dlamini, Sales and Marketing Manager – Bakery Section
He mentioned that the partnership between the University and Premier dated a long time ago. The Bakery aligned with the movement which Senator Fezeka had approached them on. He pledged that Premier would offer assistance for the next three years.
Ok Foods – Mr Sanele Dlamini, It was a great pleasure for OK Foods to be part of this initiative. He apologised for Mr L. Motsa who could not make it. On behalf of OK Foods, he pledged that they would place trolleys in their shops. They request that customers purchase stuff for the initiative and drop into the trolleys. The shop would then match in kind the donation collected.
Deputy Senate President – Senator Ndumiso Mdluli – He expressed excitement that Parliament had people like Senator Fezeka. He was happy about the initiative as the University had been neglected in a number of ways. He hopes other sponsors would come to the party and pledged that as a customer of OK Shops he would deposit into the trolleys.
Managing Editor – Eswatini Observer, Mr Mbongeni Mbingo – He welcomed the idea when Senator Fezeka raised it as he had worked with the students in the past and noted that intervention was needed. He mentioned that Eswatini Observer would be part and parcel of the project. They would find a way of making the project known to the people and asked the Deputy Senate President and MP Shongwe to request all Parliamentarians to contribute to the project.
In performing the Vote of Thanks, the SRC President, Mr Bongumenzi Dlamini thanked Senator Fezeka, the Deputy Senate President and MP Sibusiso Shongwe and the sponsors. He mentioned that there were no suicides the previous year which shows that the Counselling Office was doing a good job and multiple stakeholder engagement was required to enhance the project.