Dear alumni

The other day, I saw two friends unexpectedly meet in a supermarket. They stood with arms wide open, longing to hug each other, but realising that social distancing is the safer choice.

This made me think about what people need, especially now during lockdown.

Many of us are familiar with Maslow's hierarchy of needs, where the lowest levels are physiological and safety needs, and the higher ones the need for love, esteem, and self-actualisation.

For those of us who are privileged enough, our lower-level needs are still being met during lockdown. Others who are not so fortunate, however, are reeling from the devastating economic consequences of the pandemic.

To help people in need, numerous experts at the NWU, for instance our engineers, are developing much-needed equipment, ranging from an award-winning pre-screening app to “OTMs” where people can get nutritious food.

Moving up from the more basic needs, we also need to nourish our souls. These higher-level needs – the cravings of the soul – include the need to experience beauty.

Especially during the earlier stricter lockdown levels, many nature lovers couldn’t wait to get back to the bush, the sea or the mountains.

Fortunately for them, they could still watch documentaries about nature, or listen to environmentalists sharing their expertise on radio. One such environmentalist is the NWU’s Ruhann Steyn who shares his knowledge on the Saturday-morning radio programme, Omgewingspraatjies (environmental talks).

For those of us whose souls are touched by beautiful sounds, many musicians nowadays showcase their talents via online performances, such as the concert the NWU alumni held recently. Many of these alumni have been featured in past editions of NWU & U, and singer and songwriter Jako Meyer is introduced in this edition.

Let us try to attend to the needs of the people around us – whether it is for food or kindness or the longing to experience something beautiful. In this way, we will fulfil our own need to know that we make a difference in other people’s lives and that our very existence matters.

Happy reading,

Nelia and the

NWU & U team

NWU & U  |