The department of Physiotherapy received a donation of masks and sanitisers from Sanlam for students on 18 September 2020 to ensure that students stay safe while pursuing their studies.

Mrs Joanelle Smit, Director and Financial Advisor at Sanlam, shared that the University of Pretoria continues to have a long-standing partnership with Sanlam. “We chose to assist the Physiotherapy students because they are constantly on the frontline during this pandemic, and we wanted to motivate the students to continue making a difference in the community.” Said Mrs Smit.

Lectures have continued online at the Faculty of Health Sciences, and students are conducting their practicals in an authentic clinical setting to develop their clinical competence. For students to sharpen their skills, their training needs to occur in a supportive and safe environment.

Third-year physiotherapy student Nthabiseng Mashilo said, “As students at the University of Pretoria we are very grateful for Sanlam’s generosity. The donation which will help us complete our academic year considering that 2020 has been a tough year.”

For the university to successfully graduate health care practitioners, the Faculty needs support from various partners and sponsors. Deputy Dean of Teaching and Learning, Prof Vanessa Steenkamp thanked Sanlam for their contribution towards supporting students. “This donation will go a long way and will ensure that our students are safe while learning in clinical settings and will help safeguard our physiotherapy students from COVID-19,” she said.