Demand for student food parcels on the rise
The North-West University’s (NWU) Student Campus Council (SCC) and student societies are working towards providing all students on the Potchefstroom campus with food parcels, said Johan Malan, a member of SCC finances.
Students without financial aid are prioritised, but campus representatives of the ANC Youth League and the student organisation SASCO have called on all stakeholders to take another look at the distribution of food parcels on campus and in particular who “qualify” to receive them.
This follows an increase in the demand for food parcels since the beginning of 2021.
The food parcel initiative is meant to assist cash-paying students who are not able to meet their needs. But due to Covid-19 and its unprecedented challenges more and more students appear to be in need of food parcels and even students who do not “qualify” are desperate.
Karlien Meiring, a member of the SCC finances, said that on the last food parcel day, 11 June 2021, students queued from the early hours of the morning in icy weather to collect food parcels. Although the SCC had packed a pile of food parcels, many students were still left without getting one, said Meiring.
Photo: Martha Radebe and Samuel Mosoeu
According to Verney Eyberg, a member of SCC finances, food parcel applications are currently only open to certain students and this excludes students who are funded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).
Since NSFAS students already receive financial assistance in the form of a meal allowance, they are unable to apply for food parcels and preferential treatment is given to students without financial support.
“The food parcel program is not a given. It is based on donations received, therefore [parcels are] limited. [Parcels] can only be given to those who have nothing else to depend on and that is why students, who meet that criterion, are identified, said Petro Bosshoff, NWU social worker and the head of the food parcel program.
Although NSAFS students receive a food allowance, several students explained how challenging access to basic foods and sustaining themselves have become.
With their monthly allowances, some students still have to send money back home as well as cover other expenses such as prepaid electricity and would benefit from the assistance of a food parcel.
Sandile Nkomo, a NSFAS student who managed to get a leftover parcel during a food parcel day said, “It helped a lot. They gave us groceries needed at that time because it was in the middle of the month.”
The NWU has tried and still is trying to assist students to meet their needs to ensure that they do not face any hindrances in their academic performance.
The university together with the SCC finances are working to tackle the problems, including more than one initiative aimed at meeting this basic need for students.
Malan said, “As the SCC offices, we also have our own food parcel initiative that is separate from the one run by Thuso.”
Many student societies within the NWU are getting involved in helping students find solutions to this problem.
Chairperson of the ANCYL, Zolani Tyobeka, told threestreamsmedia reporters in answer to questions that the league believes that every student has a right to a meal and understands that many students have lost their funding.
Tyobeka went on to say, “The current system should be kept in place but with a small change. The change proposed would be once the cash-paying students have received their food parcels and the supply of food parcels is still relatively available, NSFAS funded students should also be allowed to apply for the food parcels which are already in supply.”
In an interview conducted with the SASCO secretary, Luvuyo Xabendlini, he said that there is a demand for food parcels or additional financial assistance, and in finding solutions to this matter the various structures of the university can join forces.
Xabendlini went on to say, “We can engage with the SCC and convince the university’s management to make food parcels mandatory and increase the meal allowances of NSFAS”. – Karabo Modikoe, Martha Radebe, Mohau Mosoeu, Tamry Esiri, Ziphozonke Ngubane
It would be a great gesture for NSFAS to atleast increase the meal allowance
That way the students can be able to tackle between sending money back home and buying enough groceries each month
Interesting story. I think that the school will have to make arrangements for bigger donations to make more food parcels. The need has definitely increased since the lockdowns.
This is a great initiative and I’m fully behind it. It would really make life easier for students who are struggling with having adequate basic food.
The article was well done .. it seems to ask many of the necessary question about the current problem and hopefully shine light on a solution
…true covid has made time hard now but they have always been hard .. so let’s use this opportunity to find a solution for now and after covid… The best plan will be one that we can work together with the community and NSFAS and collage to find a long term solution while try to make sure the financial strain will not be to much for any of the party’s …… It’s easy to ask for more but when you the one to give that more it’s a different story .. understand the give side to not just your as a receiver
This is a captivating and informative story.
I believe the initiative that’s going on is great but there’s always room for improvement by ensuring that the most in need student get the parcels
Increasing the meal allowance would also help the nsfas because food is expensive and the pandemic is not help with the prices
I agree with this
This is very important because many students still have to send some of their NSFAS allowance home. Maybe NSFAS should be made aware of this and maybe increase the allowance or make a way to provide NSFAS students with food parcels.
A brilliant and commendable initiative
I most definitely agree with this
This is indeed a good initiative as the food parcels could help the NSFAS students with the basic grocery needs and with the meal allowance they’re able to just purchase other items that aren’t included in the food parcels. This would also enable them to get enough groceries to last them the month as it may be difficult with the allowance they get due to food being quite expensive
A great story indeed.
I’m truly humbled by the initiative,it’s truly commendable…and I personally believe that together we can make this world abetter place by helping one another in any way possible
Wow! this is a very captivating story and commendable initiative indeed it is very imperative that we all help each other during these difficult times that we going through and for this reason I truly honour the university and everyone who’s put a hand in this
It’s gonna help them alot
Very good initiative, question is will NSFAS come to the party as some of the students that I know still has not received their allowances🙆
Great story! And I think the food donations can at least be increased so that it’s sufficient
This is very true.. I wish government can see this and agree to assist with food parcel and allowance (Money) also
That will be very helpful