World Food Day highlights NSH’s impact on food security and student success

“Our dream is to eradicate food insecurity on campus entirely,” says Annelize Visagie, Head of the Food Environment Office at the University of the Free State (UFS). “We want every student to focus on their studies without worrying about where their next meal will come from.”

The NSH (No Student Hungry) Programme, launched in 2011, was designed to support academically deserving students who do not qualify for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) or other bursaries with food bursaries.

The programme provides either a daily meal at the dining hall or a monthly food parcel, which includes fresh vegetables harvested from university food gardens on the Bloemfontein Campus and the Paradys Experimental Farm, established in collaboration with Kovsie Act and the Department of Sustainable Food Systems and Development (Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences).

In celebration of World Food Day, the UFS recognises the important role food security plays in student success. With ongoing support from donors, staff, and student volunteers, the NSH Programme not only meets students’ immediate food needs but also equips them to make a lasting impact in their communities in the future.