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03 October 2024
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Story Ansie Barnard
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Photo Supplied
From left to right: Londeka Mkhwanazi, Semither Mkhize, Salima van Schalkwyk, Slindokuhle Ndlovu, Asanda Mpinga, Mantombi Molefe, Ntombinkulu Khumalo, Mosebjadi Chauke and Thembinkosi Mkhwanazi.
The Amrut Foundation, in partnership with the University of the Free State (UFS), successfully hosted its Inaugural Innovathon at the UFS Qwaqwa Campus. This competition is designed to identify and support innovative products and services that not only generate profit but also contribute to the public good, with a strong emphasis on ethical business practices. Through this collaboration, students gain national exposure for their businesses and receive support to create sustainable social enterprises.
Five teams of student social entrepreneurs from the Qwaqwa campus were shortlisted to participate in the regional finals. Their selection was based on ventures that adhered to a social entrepreneurship model and demonstrated plans for long-term profitability and sustainability.
During the Innovathon, a panel of judges from the UFS, the Amrut Foundation, and the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) selected two outstanding teams to represent the UFS at the national finals, which will take place in October. The winning ventures, Biofly-Pro and Root Rescue were each awarded R20,000 to further develop and expand their initiatives.
Hemang Desai, Executive Director of the Amrut Foundation, expressed his enthusiasm for the event: "Amrut is proud to co-host the Free State leg of the inaugural Innovation Challenge with the UFS. Supporting students with entrepreneurial ambitions that align with societal care is one of our key focus areas."
Dr Grey Magaiza, Senior Lecturer and Deputy Director for the Centre for Gender and Africa Studies at the UFS, highlighted the importance of social entrepreneurship: “Social entrepreneurship is a collaborative effort towards creating sustainable and ethical business processes. The two winning projects embody these principles, and we look forward to their continued growth. In line with our Vision 130, social entrepreneurship can serve as a critical lever for university-community engagement.”
Congratulations to Biofly-Pro and Root Rescue on their well-deserved achievements!
Competition for academic institutions gets under way
2008-09-23
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Sanlam, the sponsor of the national competition for academic institutions, the Creativity for Progress Competition, recently made a presentation about this competition at the University of the Free State (UFS) in Bloemfontein. The theme of this year’s competition is “A better life for people in informal settlements”. It provides students and faculties with an excellent opportunity to come up with innovative concepts on how to improve the lives of people who live in informal settlements. The winning concept will get R900 000, the winning faculty R150 000 and the winning student team R100 000. With 28 teams from this university having registered already, the UFS has the most number of entries of all the 16 universities that will take part in this competition. At the presentation were, from the left: Prof Mabel Erasmus (Community Service Learning and UFS co-ordinator for Sanlam), Miss Lebohang Ramoholi (Community Service Learning), Mr Carel Thomas (Marketing Manager: Sanlam, Bloemfontein) and Dr Ezekiel Moraka (Vice-Rector: Student Affairs).
Photo: Mangaliso Radebe
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