What the committee did in 2011
Some of the outgoing comm has put together a brief description of their portfolios:
Chairperson: Matthew Bickell
The chairperson of S4L is blessed to be in such a position. One experiences being at the forefront of the pro-life movement in South Africa, and is energised by the knowledge that they can actually make a difference to the lives of students on campus, and especially those unborn children threatened by abortion. I have been challenged to grow and adapt in so many situations this past year, and I think I have become such a better leader because of it. I have become immersed in the pro-life movement in Cape Town and have met so many interesting people. I have experienced the compassion and concern of the S4L members for the victims of abortion and I am proud to have been a part of this team and to have inherited the legacy of Students for Life from past generations of concerned students. I have been inspired and awed by the strength and determination of the parents on campus who have chosen life for their children.
There have definitely been challenges throughout the year, and one has to quickly learn the skills of leadership, delegation, communication, organisation and administration. The chairperson has the freedom to lead and mould the society in ways which he/she thinks will be most effective for that year, together with the rest of the committee.
This is a truly fulfilling role in the society and an experience which I will always cherish and appreciate, and it has prepared me to continue the fight for life outside of university.
Vice-chairperson: Noella Moshi
S4L is structured in such a way that the role of vice chairperson is extremely flexible; one can choose to do as much or as little as one wants with it. This year the goal of S4L was to create awareness of the organization and its goals. We wanted to let people know that abortion is an issue that should still be challenged, and that student parents need more support from the university. My role as vice chairperson of S4L this year meant that I was actively involved in brainstorming for ideas around how to do this as well as in the implementation of feasible ideas. Because it is so malleable, it is easy to dream big in the role of vice chairperson. It is important as vice chairperson to attend and assist in every event, as well as to keep one’s eyes on the long-term goals of the organization. It is also important to have fun with it!<o:p></o:p>
Treasurer: Tapiwa Tevera
The treasurer is responsible for managing the finances of the society. This individual works closely with the chairperson of the society (who is a co-signatory) along with other committee or society members who require funds for various projects e.g. money for printing posters, buying snacks and refreshments for talks, etc.
Some of the responsibilities
• Draw up the society’s budget along with the chairperson
• Requesting statements of the account balances from the Societies Treasurer (Level 5 Steve Biko Building)
• Recommending a budget to committee and society members for particular projects
• Exploring opportunities to acquire additional funds for society’s operations through sponsorship.
As treasurer you are involved in every project and so it is important that you are able to work well with people and are regularly available (to sign for money, etc.).
Media: Getty Choenyana
Working with the team this year was a great experience though it required commitment and a lot of hard work. One of the things I enjoyed is the open policy that is kept between the committee and the involved society members. Some of the other things that I felt were often required of us as a team were involvement, ingenuity, hard work and good time management. Being in the committee gave me an opportunity to improve these skills.
The responsibilities in this portfolio involve designing or coming up with ideas for advertising strategies for events. It mainly involves printing posters and flyers, updating the VULA group and managing social media accounts. An example of one of the projects in this portfolio for this year was designing, printing and putting up awareness posters around campus.
Open Portfolio: Xolani Mandidi
Working with Student for Life has been an amazing experience. I have faced many challenges with regard to time management but the team on the board with Matthew leading exceptionally well were always willing to help. I did not have any particular portfolio this year but I enjoyed helping out and learning as much as possible where possible. My highlight would definitely be when we did a survey of Gentleman’s views on campus about abortion. I had great fun meeting people and hearing some smart (some ridiculous) comments. I think Noella also showed an exceptional amount of passion, herself also responsible for signing me up. The greatest accomplishment would probably be Pamoja, the mentoring programme which has been explained in Mathew’s brief. It has been a good year and I think the 2011 team did a great job in raising awareness on campus.
South African Pro-Life News
UCT Students for Life 