Equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, Building 7 is friendly and offers the best home-away-from-home service. It has also been recognised as an organised and safe social space for female students.
It has received several awards, which would not have been possible without the diligent service of the house warden, Ms Queeneth Mashaba, residence student assistants, and compliance from the students who live it. Through dedication, good communication with the cleaning staff, maintenance personnel, the groundsean, and most importantly the students, Ms Mashaba has managed to create a good living environment for students.
She manages the residence with a team that comprises of UMP Honours in Development Studies student, Mandy Fasika, who is the Residence Student Assistant (RSA). In turn, her team consists of other RSA colleagues, house wardens and assistants, and floor representatives.
“I feel very good about winning this award. It shows my dedication, and that I always do my work with diligence. We have won these awards many times, but I still feel good and very excited every time I hear the name of my building being called out. This award just proves that hard work pays off.”
Ms Mashaba's duties include allocating students to their rooms, taking care of their needs, and ensuring that their assets are safe. As a retired nurse, she also assists with health-related matters after hours when the clinic is closed.
“I am very passionate about and proud of my work. I especially enjoy working with the young female students, I learn from them as much as they do from me. I am also passionate about UMP’s values.
I apply the values in every living and learning activity that we do. I get to know more about the students through the activities we have, which also contributed to winning the awards.”
Mashaba follows a yearly plan which includes serial meetings with the students, but the first meeting is most crucial as it serves as an induction of how the building operates.
“I explain to students how they should behave in regard to cleanliness, noise, respecting each other, and reminding them about their main aim of coming to university,” says Ms Mashaba.
The Winner: Building 7, which houses female students on the Mbombela campus.
Building 7 is very social and has created a safe space for female students. “We also have 'Girl TalK' which are meetings that I value the most, they play a big role in building these young women with good behaviour and cleanliness. Everyone is involved in the Girl Talk meetings and it makes learning fun.”
Further elaborating, Ms Fasika explains that, in addition to Girl Talk, the residence has activities like 'Men and Women Talk' and a few others that are aimed at educating students about different things that affect them.
“I deal a lot with reporting issues, planning and holding events, helping with key control, and always being available in case any health emergencies arise that would need for house wardens to call an ambulance."
As an RSA, Fasika says she and her team of RSA reps, house wardens and assistants assist with reporting issues and the execution of planned events.
“I work closely with students, they report to me any challenges or issues they encounter within the residences, for example, maintenance issues or anything that disturbs them or affects their living conditions. I plan and execute living and learning activities that promote social cohesion, learning, our university values, and raising awareness.
I am also responsible for writing proposals and reports, and for giving feedback. Being an RSA is not as simple as it may look, there's a lot of effort and dedication needed.”
Fasika says that she felt very honoured and happy about winning the award because they work hard for the building to have a good reputation as the cleanest residence with great discipline.
“Our students participate in all the initiatives that we do. We won because we have a good record of how we maintain the residence and ensure that things run smoothly.”
She is grateful to work with Ms Mashaba. “She has had a great impact on my life as an RSA. Everything that I know I was taught by her. I started being an RSA knowing nothing and she took me under her wing and equipped me with all the skills and knowledge that I now have.
“Ms Mashaba taught me to have good relationships with students, and many other personal life lessons. She has always been a great mode of motivation and encouragement. I will forever be grateful to her.”
Fasika concludes: “There is nothing more rewarding than efforts being recognised and celebrated. It truly felt like all the year's hard work has paid off.”
@ Story by Cleopatra Makhaga. Pictures ChrisplPhoto.