On Monday afternoon, the Stellenbosch University (SU) chapter of the United Nations Association of South Africa (UNASA) met their sandwich drive target for 2019 by making 1020 sandwiches in two hours. This event marked the start of this year’s UNASA week.
The event was co-hosted by Simonsberg Men’s Residence where various students and members of the Stellenbosch community lent a helping hand in reaching UNASA’s goal and in donating the sandwiches to Stellenbosch’s Youth Outreach Centre and Night Shelter.
Students and members of Stellenbosch community making peanut butter and jam sandwiches during UNASA week to donate to Stellenbosch’s Youth Outreach Centre and Night Shelter PHOTO: Jessica Josephs
Chairperson of UNASA Stellenbosch, Luke Waltham (21), stated that both UNASA and Simonsberg Residence have donated and contributed to making the sandwiches for this initiative and hoped to have beaten last year’s record of 1067 sandwiches.
“We try to make an impact, especially during this time of winter where it’s very cold and people need food in their bellies. We believe this event should not only be an annual thing but should happen more often and we would like to encourage working with more residences from now onwards,” added Waltham.
Some of the sandwiches made at Simonsberg Residence in collaboration with UNASA Stellenbosch PHOTO: Jessica Josephs
Primarius of Simonsberg Residence, Hadrick Coertze (21), commented: “We’ve hosted this quite a few times in the ‘eetsaal’ and I think it’s really nice that we can give a platform for something like this to happen. Our guys in res and everyone who eats here comes to give a helping hand. I think it’s a really cool initiative.”
Simonsberg Residence’s Social Impact HK and Chairperson of the BA Student Committee, Xola Njengele (20), commented on the growth of this initiative: “I was part of the team that started the sandwich drive in 2017 and we’ve been doing this, with Simonsberg, since then and it is quite great to see how it has grown over the years. All we want is to improve from the year before.”
From left: Vice Chairperson of UNASA Stellenbosch Jozef Hands, Chairperson of UNASA Stellenbosch Luke Waltham and Simonsberg Residence’s Social Impact HK and Chairperson of the BA Student Committee Xola Njengele at the sandwich drive PHOTO: Jessica Josephs
Vice Chairperson of UNASA Stellenbosch, Jozef Hands (21), explained that the sandwich drive is the start of their annual UNASA week program. “It’s a suite of activities that starts this Monday and ends next Monday and includes visits to the local night shelter, handing over a library we’ve put together for a local school as well as a special discussion about the role of foreign policy in advancing human rights. Our program is a very useful way to get involved in social impact around Stellenbosch.”
Members of the SU Kindness Campaign also made an appearance at the sandwich drive. They handed out sweets to thank all those who helped make the sandwiches and to remind them to continue executing acts of kindness in and around campus.
UNASA Week runs from 5 August until 12 August 2019. PHOTO: UNASA Stellenbosch