USolwazi we-Dietetics Ugqugquzela Isayensi Yokudla

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Ukugubha iSonto leSayensi likaZwelonke neNyanga yaBesifazane kaZwelonke, i-Kolishi YezoLimo, EzobuNjiniyela NeSayensi ihlonipha ososayensi ngomkhankaso i-Wonder Women in Science eqhakambisa abantu besifazane abanothando lwemikhakha yabo nabangamavulandlela kwezcwaningo nentuthuko nabayisibonelo kubantu besifazane abalandela ezinyathelweni zabo emisebenzini yesayensi, ubuchwepheshe, ubunjiniyela nezibalo (i-STEM).

USolwazi Suna Kassier, uMholi weziFundo zokuFunda nokuFundisa e-Sikoleni Sezesayensi YezoLimo, YezoMhlaba NeyezeMvelo noSolwazi oSizayo kwa-Dietetics and Human Nutrition uwungoti emkhakheni wezempilo yomphakathi, lapho egxile khona kwezokudla kwezinsana nezingane ezincane, ubududla, umzimba nokuvama kokudla.

U-Kassier, owafika e-UKZN ngonyaka wezi-2007, wakhula enothando lokufunda olwatshalwa ngubabekazi wakhe, wayethanda ibhayoloji esikoleni, ekhuthazwa uthisha owayemeseka. Wayephasa ngamalengiso ibhayokhemistri nefiziyoloji kwiziqu zakhe zokuqala e-Stellenbosch University, lapho ahlangana khona nomyeni wakhe ekilasini lonyaka wokuqala lwefiziksi asebeneminyaka engama-32 beshadile.

Uthando luka-Kassier lwe-dietetics lwagqugquzelwa wukuqoqa ulwazi ngenkathi enza ucwaningo lwezingane ezinohudo olukhulu nolunganqamuki. Wenza iziqu ze-masitazi e-UKZN neziqu zobudokotela e-University of Cape Town, wethula imiphumela yakhe yase-University of Cape Town ezingqungqutheleni zaphesheya ezintathu nengqunguthela kazwelonke kanjalo nakwi-Human Sciences Research Council nasemNyangweni wezeMpilo waKwaZulu-Natali.

‘Izifo ezihambisana nendlela abantu abadla ngayo zenza isimo sokugula kwabantu emhlabeni sishintshe emazweni athuthukile nasathuthuka,’ kusho yena. ‘INingizimu Afrika ilele isibili ngezinga lobududla e-Afrika ngezinga elingamaphesenti angama-24.7 ezinganeni zesikole namaphesenti ayi-14.2 ezingane ezizalwa zingondlekile.' 

U-Kassier, ohambisa phambili ucwaningo lwesayensi, uvame ukubhala imibono emaphephaphandaba omphakathi nakazwelonke, okubalwa kuwona imibono asanda kuyibhala kwi-Independent on Saturday, i-Weekend Argus, ne-Pretoria News Weekend. Nakuba baziwa ubumqoka bemikhakha yesayensi, ubuchwepheshe, ubunjiniyela nezibalo, uthi othisha besikole kufanele bakhumbule iqhaza labo lokugqugquzela abafundi abancane ukuthi bangagcini nje ngokwenza izifundo zesayensi kodwa futhi babenentshisekelo yayo.

Njengoba kudlange i-COVID-19, u-Kassier usebe nezigcawu ezine ngobuchwepheshe besimanje, phecelezi webinars for UKZN Extended Learning athinta i-COVID-19, indlela yokudla nomsoco neyokuphila. Ungumbhali womqulu i-guide yezitshudeni ngokudla kahle ngemali encane, u-Kassier useke waba nesithangami sika-Zoom ngalesi sihloko nezitshudeni zaseKolishi leSayensi yezeMpilo ngokubambisana nezokweLuleka iziTshudeni.

Uthe nakuba ubhubhane i-COVID-19 luphazamise uhlelo lwakhe locwaningo kodwa kumfundise ukukwazi ukwenza izinto ngendlela entsha nokubeka phambili umndeni wakhe nakuba behlukaniswe yibanga. Ukwazi ukuthi impilo yasekhaya neyomsebenzi kungashayisani ngenxa yokuzilawula nokukwazi ukulawula isikhathi.

Phakathi kwezinto azenzile naziqhenya ngazo wukubhala isahluko sonke sencwadi ngowezi-2019 ngezindlela zokwelapha umdlavuza wemithambo nocwaningo lwezitshudeni akade ezeluleka ngocwaningo njengoluthi-nutrition in HIV-positive kidney donors and recipients, body image and weight loss practices amongst female UKZN students, nokwelashwa kwezingane ezingondlekile kahle. Uyaziqhenya ngezitshudeni zeziqu zeMasitazi azilekelele ngocwaningo, zagcina zithwasela umsebenzi kahle.

U-Kassier unguMengameli we-International Life Sciences Institute South Africa, ilungu le-Food, Nutrition and Hygiene Committee kwi-Campus Health Project e-UKZN. Usiza izitshudeni ngocwaningo ngezinga lensimbi ekudleni okuphekwe ngamabhodwe ohlobo, ukwenziwa kwesikali sokuhlola isisindo sezinsana nokuhlola uhlelo lokubheka isimo sezinsana ezingaphansi kweminyaka emihlanu.

Ufisa ukushiya umsizila wokukhuthaza ukuhlale kufundwa nokukhuthaza abafundi ukuthi zihlale bazimisele kukho konke abakwenzayo.

Okungafani neminye imikhakha yesayensi, ubuchwepheshe, ubunjiniyela nezibalo, umkhakha ka-Kassier ugcwele abantu besifazane okunika abantu besilisa inselelo yokuthi bakhethe umkhakha we-dietetics, baqhube nezifundo kulo mkhakha. USolwazi u-Kassier ukholwa wukuthi abantu besifazane baneso elihlukile lokubuka isayensi kanti basesimweni esikahle sokuba yisibani nesibonelo kososayensi abancane. Weluleka ososayensi besifazane abancane ukuthi babone amathuba ayingcosana akhona, bawasebenzise.

IQhawekazi elingu-Kassier

U-Kassier uthi uma engaba namandla amakhulu angakhetha amancoko, uzwelo nokugona abantu.

‘Sivame ukungazi ubunzima obukhulu abantu esiphila nabo ababhekene nabo kanti isenzo esisodwa somusa nohleko kungenza umehluko omkhulu empilweni yomuntu ngokomqondo, impilo nomphefumulo.’

Isihloko sengoma ayithandayo sithi We will rock you ye-Queen kanti into yokusebenza angahlukani nayo yi-laptop.

Uma engakhetha ithimba la“baPhindiseli” elingama naye uma ehlaselwa kungaba wumyeni wakhe, izingane zakhe nezitshudeni zakhe ezivuselela uthando locwaningo kuyena.

Uma edinga ukuba yedwa, uyomthola engadini ekhipha ukhula noma enakekela izihlahla zakhe zamawolintshi nolamula ebalekela ubuthaka bakhe bokuphuza ikhofi eliningi nokwehluleka wukunqaba ukusiza abantu.

Buka uSolwazi Kassier emncintiswaneni i#toosieslide dance challenge, ubone izithombe zakhe ezinhle, ufunde ngabanye ososayensi besifazane kwi-Wonder Women In Science kwiwebhusayithi yethi ethi: wwis.ukzn.ac.za

Amagama: ngu-Christine Cuénod

Isithombe: ngu-Sashlin Girraj