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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!
Standard Bank helps B.Iuris students prepare for profession
2009-05-19
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The Centre for Financial Planning Law (CFPL) in the Faculty of Law at the University of the Free State (UFS) recently launched the Faculty of Law – Standard Bank partnership for final-year B.Iuris students. The partnership entails a R250 000 donation from Standard Bank to be used to support the financial planning programme of the B.Iuris degree and the lecturers teachingthese students. Standard Bank will also offer final-year B.Iuris students the opportunity to obtain work experience in their last semester. They will also undergo practical financial planning training. This will not only prepare them adequately for the profession of financial planning, but also provide them with the opportunity to be interviewed and appointed by the Standard Bank Group. At the launch of the partnership were, from the left: Mr Eli de Wet, Standard Bank Financial Services Consultancy, Head of Learning and Development; Mr Deon Nel, Standard Bank Regional Head; Remay Olivier, third-year B.Iuris student (best second-year B.Iuris student in her class); Prof. Johan Henning, Dean of the Faculty of Law at the UFS; and Adv. Wessel Oosthuizen, Director of the Centre for Financial Planning Law in the Department of Mercantile Law, UFS.
Photo: Stephen Collet |