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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!
UFS presents outstanding sprinting team
2012-01-26
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| Wayde van Niekerk and Gideon Trotter. |
This is year is a very good season for athletics at our university with Wayde van Niekerk and Gideon Trotter, who are now part of the team.
Wayde, the world’s second-fastest 200 m junior athlete, was seen in action at the UFS’s first-year athletics meeting. This proud resident of Armentum Residence at our Bloemfontein Campus has enrolled as a first-year in the BA Extended Programme.
Gideon, an Africa junior 100 m champion, also enrolled for the University Preparation Programme this year with the purpose to continue with Human Movement Sciences later. He will soon be seen in action at the Inter-Provincial Yellow Pages Championships in Johannesburg.
"Kovsies is excited and privileged to welcome athletes of this quality on the campus. “With stars like Thuso Mpuang, silver-medal 200 m athlete at the World Student Championships, Sean de Klerk, SA 200 m Junior Champion 2010 and Kagisho Kumbane we can produce an outstanding sprinting team," states DB Prinsloo, Director: KovsieSport (acting).