As part of their efforts to combat social ills, Walter Sisulu University (WSU) Brand Ambassadors have launched a “MySafeSpace” web application to give students a voice to express their concerns within the WSU community.
The app is a joint effort between WSU Brand Ambassadors and the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) department, to establish a secure and protected environment for students to address an array of social challenges, including gender-based violence, bullying, harassment, and mental health concerns.
“The introduction of this web app for students is a clear definition of an impactful university that responds to crucial societal needs. Our aim as brand ambassadors is to support the vision and mission of the university, by creating such spaces to make sure that our students receive the help they need,” said brand ambassador, Sinelizwi Mantangayi.
Accessible through any device, the platform guarantees user confidentiality and anonymity, allowing students to comfortably engage stakeholders on challenges, while contributing to the general well-being of the WSU community.
“We are proud of the collaboration between the ambassadors and ICT, who have worked hard to create a safe and comfortable space for students. We hope that this platform will inspire confidence in people who are victims of these social ills to report them, so that they may get the assistance they need,” said WSU director of Special Projects, Ndiyakholwa Ngqulu.
The executive director for Student Affairs, Dr Irene Mohaosa, recognised the platform’s impact in addressing challenges faced by the department in fostering student engagement.
“We are excited as Student Affairs to have an initiative such as this to add to our efforts of reaching out to our students. I believe that through this app we will be able to tackle the challenge of student drop-outs, due to issues and challenges they cannot deal with in their spaces,” said Mohasoa.
