Eendrag

Aristea's vision & mission:

Aristea is a home away from home where members feel they have a place and space to turn to and connect with others on campus. Aristea is an opportunity generator with our leadership development and co-curricular activities whereby members are encouraged to make their choice of sphere of growth. Aristea provides an identity that grounds an individual in the larger community. We are women of mind and heart. Each with a different story. A different experience and a different mindset, coming together to form something beautiful. Together we laugh, we cry, we learn, and we grow. We are not a place we are your support system enabler and crutch throughout your university career.

What are we currently doing?

Eendrag Mentorship Project: The Eendrag Mentorship Program is a project that mainly focuses on developing, inspiring, assisting and mentoring male teenagers, during a crucial stage in their lives, from an academic and leadership perspective. We believe that there is great potential within every person and that we can help inspire and lead these learners to achieving their full potential. 20 university students from Eendrag residence will each voluntarily mentor two high school students between grades 9 – 11. This includes academic mentorship, life mentorship and leadership guidance.

Rietenbosch Primary School: The relationship between Lydia and Eendrag is one that has been coming on for years and we are extremely privileged to be able to work with the grade one learners at Rietenbosch Primary School. Every second Friday, our social impact group travels to Rietenbosch Primary School where we spend one-hour bonding with the learners and creating an impact in their lives which is far greater than we know. The time spent with the grade ones allows them to be surrounded by students who can engage with them on a different level and to partake in activities which they would not necessarily be presented with on a day-to-day basis.

However, because of Covid-19, we realized that we need to take a different approach if we want to maintain this good relationship with the primary school. We have decided to take on one big project per term which in turn would benefit the school. This term we continued with our stationery drive as well as Easter egg drive. The Eendragters made bookshelves for the school as well. Lydia plans to get books sponsored for these bookshelves which we are hoping will cultivate a love for reading amongst the students. Eendrag will be committing to a sandwich, as well as various other food drives throughout the year for Rietenbosch Primary School. It is also both a vision for Lydia and Eendrag social impact committees to have a staff appreciation event for the teachers at Rietenbosch Primary if Covid-19 allows for this.

#AnotherChance by the Helping Hand Foundation: For this project, it includes us collecting second-hand clothing from the students in res and the broader community and these clothes will be donated to the She project in Kayamandi. The She project aims to empower women by giving them clothes which they can sell cheaply and in turn, the residents of Kayamndi can afford cheap clothing and these women can earn an honest living.

What else can you do?

Community service has been an integral part of Stellenbosch University (SUN) for decades albeit in different forms and with shifting emphasis. This platform allows you to make social impact within the university's (7) CSI themes. Click on the links on the themes below to get involved in volunteering and donating opportunities of your choice.