The hosting of Enactus in Jozi has raised the bar

19 October 2015

 

After three days of intense competition, cooperation and exchange of innovative and out-of-the-box entrepreneurial ideas, a team of students from the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom was crowned the 2015 Enactus World Cup Champions at the Sandton Convention Centre on Friday night (October 16).

 

The English beat 33 other teams from universities across the world to claim the top prize.

 

The second prize was won by a team from Bringham Young University in Hawaii in the United States. Morocco’s Mohammedia School of Engineering and the Seoul National University of South Korea also finished in the top four. This was the first time that the Enactus World Cup was staged on African soil since its formation 40 years.

 

It was one of several major global events that the City of Johannesburg has successfully hosted this year alone. The others include Meetings Africa, World Congress on Healthy Ageing, International Public Relations Association’s Congress and the month-long EcoMobility World Festival, which is under way in Sandton at present.

 

Enactus chairman Kees Kruythoff said during Friday’s closing ceremony that Johannesburg would be a hard act to follow as hosts of the 2015 Enactus World Cup.

 

“We would like to thank the Rainbow Nation for being such great hosts. Enactus is beautiful because of our diversity … you are all winners. Keep working hard and reach for the sky,” he said, paying tribute to the late former President Nelson Mandela for leading by example.

 

“When I was your age South Africa was engulfed in [political] turmoil and violence. Mandela stood up and said we will not die; we will not quit. In life you will be knocked sideways, others will be knocked flat but refuse to quit, refuse to die,” he said.

More than 4 000 local and international business-minded university students had been gathering at the Sandton Convention Centre since Wednesday October 14 to compete, collaborate and network.

 

African Union Chairwoman Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Enactus President Alvin Rohrs presented the awards. The Southampton University team won the top prize for the profitable entrepreneurship projects it runs both in the United Kingdom and Kenya. With emphasis on education, equality and empowerment, the team particularly impressed the judging panel with two empowerment projects in Kenya: one run by women who make reusable sanitary towels for schoolgirls and women, and its innovative, environmentally friendly school toilets initiative that convert human waste into manure.

 

The manure has resulted in increased yields for farmers in the area.

 

James Shikwati, the Enactus country leader of Kenya, was presented with the Jack Shewmaker award for his outstanding leadership, whereas Dr Michael Hastings of KPMG was bestowed with the Global Champion award.The festive mood that characterised the event continued on Friday, with jubilant students celebrating one another’s achievements.

 

The Soweto Gospel Choir entertained the participants with old-time favourites such as My African Dream, Shosholoza and Pata Pata. Next year’s Enactus World Cup will be held in Toronto, Canada.