(Left) Nosi Nkwinti (Head of Vuka! Makana), Chrissie Boughey (Rhodes University Dean of Students), Diana Hornby (Head of RUCE), Cindy Deutschmann (Makana Revive), and Richard Gaybba (Grahamstown Business Forum) pose together at the launch of Vuka! Makana on 9 May. The Rhodes University Community Engagement (RUCE) initiative serves as a step-up from Trading Live, and works to connect students, academics and community members to better serve Makana. Vuka! Makana is an online platform that lets users log their voluntary hours in 12 different categories. Hornby stated that the objective is for each resident to log 12 hours over the course of the year, and totalling 365 hours per category, setting a precedent for communities around South Africa and the world. Users will also be awarded after logging 12 hours. During the launch Deutschmann and student, Dimakatso Cleopatra Mashile, were awarded for their excellent volunteer work. Mashile logged 16 hours mentoring students at Ntsika High School, and Deutschmann logged 52 hours clearing refuse from Makhanda (Grahamstown) during the municipal strike earlier this year. Photo by Kathryn Cleary
