Ruth First

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2003 was our first year of occupancy and we have spent a fair amount of time team building and forging an ethos of our own.

Our student body is an energetic group of women with a wide range of interests. We have an active SHARC & Treatment Action Campaign contingent, with Nation Nyoka, our Hall Senior Student serving on the SHARC Committee, a fair number of active journalists who serve on the Activate and RMR Committees, a couple of enthusiastic gym disciples and a highly dedicated, long standing Generations appreciation group!

After seven years in existence Ruth First has developed a strong focus on community engagement.

We have hosted STARFISH dinners, collected clothing for the Grahamstown SAPS Sex Crimes Unit (an ongoing project), collected non-perishable food, clothing and shoes for an HIV/AIDS orphanage in town, run several very successful food collection drives for the Assumption Feeding Scheme in Joza, planted a food gardens and collected 120 school backpacks, each filled with stationery which were donated to children throughout Grahamstown and reached as far a field as the Dianne Lang Project in Middleberg.

Ruth First House was awarded “Best Community Service” Award in Lilian Ngoyi Hall in 2009. We also won Top sporting residence in the Hall this year, finishing 3rd overall in the inter-res competition.

In 2010 we hope to build on previous year''s successes, forging stronger ties with the community, competing in the inter-res sports competition and improving our academic record.

THE LEGACY OF RUTH FIRST
How could one be so brave?
What drove them more than the dream of freedom for everyone?
What made them consistent at their work, that they would sacrifice all just for the next person?
What element of life did they have that we missed out on?
Was it courage or bravery?
It had to be something more than that,
It had to be something greater than that.
I respect the sung and unsung leaders that fought for our freedom,
because they had something more than what we have,
They knew the meaning of life in all its spheres.

Poem by:
Aluzuko Noqayi
Secretary 2010

For more information about the res and its residents, please visit our facebook group (Ruth First House)