A total of eight Stellenbosch University (SU) faculties are currently taking part in an annual drive to donate non-perishable food and sanitary products for students in need.
This is according to Sophia Rabie, an ambassador at Bridge the Gap (BTG), the organisation in charge of the Faculty Trolley Challenge.
“[BTG] is an overarching [SU] fund for alleviating challenges facing students which covers 8 different initiatives,” stated Rabie, who added that the donations would be sent to these initiatives and redistributed to SU students in need.
The challenge was announced on 22 August and allows different SU students, staff and alumni to donate until 7 October, she explained.
Bridge the Gap’s (BTG) Faculty Trolley Challenge encourages Stellenbosch University (SU) students, staff and alumni to donate non-perishable food and sanitary products that will be redistributed to SU students in need. This is according to Viwe Benxa, the junior alumni participation coordinator at BTG. PHOTO: Aiden Louw
Faculty feuds
As part of the challenge, SU faculties are encouraged to outnumber one another’s donations, according to Viwe Benxa, BTG’s junior alumni participation coordinator.
The agrisciences, engineering, education, arts and social sciences, medicine and health sciences, science, economic and management sciences and law faculties are participating in the challenge thus far, stated Benxa.
“We want the faculties to take ownership of this initiative and to actually do as much as possible to help their students,” he said. “We are trying to make them take ownership of the problems we have on campus.”
“Even though we know that we cannot bring a solution to poverty overnight, [the Faculty Trolley Challenge] makes a difference in our students’ lives,” stated Bongiwe Mhlongo, the digital marketing and communications officer at Stellenbosch University’s faculty of agrisciences, which is taking part in the challenge. PHOTO: Aiden Louw
Showing care
The first Faculty Trolley Challenge took place in 2021 but did not receive much attention, according to Benxa. Only the faculties of engineering and agrisciences took part, she stated.
The challenge made a difference in students’ lives, according to Bongiwe Mhlongo, the digital marketing and communications officer at the faculty of agrisciences.
“[The challenge] is also a way of acknowledging the fact that on-campus issues, such as hunger and poverty, exist and we shouldn’t turn a blind eye and ignore [it],” stated Mhlongo. “Rather, we should act towards making a positive change in the lives of our students.”
“It is also very important to show our students that they are cared for, and they can depend on the university for help,” added Mhlongo.
Several Stellenbosch University faculties have been encouraged to donate non-perishable food and sanitary products as part of Bridge The Gap’s Faculty Trolley Challenge. “There is no prize for the faculty who donates the most. […] We don’t want to encourage a reward system for doing good,” said Viwe Benxa, the junior alumni participation coordinator. AUDIO: Aiden Louw