After realising some of her fellow students missed class because they were hungry, third-year nursing student Zandisiwe Mapete went on a drive to collect food to feed the hungry students.
With the help from donors, the 27-year-old University of Fort Hare (UFH) student managed to collect enough food to feed close to 100 UFH and Walter Sisulu University (WSU) students for a month.
The Saturday Dispatch visited Mapete at Lwandle student residence in Quigney where she occupies a tiny single room.
The food, which includes tins of fish, cooking oil, mealie meal, soup and eggs, was stacked against the wall.
Mapete said last year she and a friend picked up that five students in their circle did not attend class and when they inquired about it, it turned out the students did not have any food.
“We used money from our own pockets to buy them food. However, I realised the problem was bigger than just five students,” Mapete explained.
A few weeks ago, Mapete put out a Facebook post requesting students who are in need of food, to inbox her their details.
She got 87 replies from UFH and WSU students.
With the help from other students, student organisations and individuals from the public she was able to collect enough food and toiletries to make 87 parcels.
The food was distributed to the students yesterday. — arethal@dispatch.co.za
Nursing student feeds the hungry
With the help from donors, the 27-year-old University of Fort Hare (UFH) student managed to collect enough food to feed close to 100 UFH and Walter Sisulu University (WSU) students for a month.
The Saturday Dispatch visited Mapete at Lwandle student residence in Quigney where she occupies a tiny single room.
The food, which includes tins of fish, cooking oil, mealie meal, soup and eggs, was stacked against the wall.
Mapete said last year she and a friend picked up that five students in their circle did not attend class and when they inquired about it, it turned out the students did not have any food.
“We used money from our own pockets to buy them food. However, I realised the problem was bigger than just five students,” Mapete explained.
A few weeks ago, Mapete put out a Facebook post requesting students who are in need of food, to inbox her their details.
She got 87 replies from UFH and WSU students.
With the help from other students, student organisations and individuals from the public she was able to collect enough food and toiletries to make 87 parcels.
The food was distributed to the students yesterday. — arethal@dispatch.co.za
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