Rural school wins big in Eskom project

BOSCHFONTEIN – Through a school agricultural project, Mbambiso High School, in Boschfontein walked away with R150 000 in the Eskom Simama Ranta Enterprise Education Competition.

This came to light when the school was announced as the overall winner of the competition on September 8, in Johannesburg.

The competition, the brainchild of the Enterprise with Education Trust is supported by the Eskom Development Foundation, and aims to recognise and reward small businesses clubs in over 2 500 high schools around the country.

According to statics, about 67% of South African youth believe that a job in government is the best way to earn a good living, according to research by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM). While 61% think that entrepreneurship is a difficult path that demands too much hard work.

The school gained interest of participating in the competition after receiving an invitation to a meeting which briefs all the schools about the requirements needed to participate in the Simama Ranta competition.

The Boschfontein Youth Club, which consists of learners from the school, runs a vegetable garden of which the produce is used for the school’s feeding scheme, and the rest of the produce is sold to the local community.

Business studies teacher, Ms Mirriam Sibiya, traveled with the two learners, Fundile Shabangu (16) and Mandisa Ngwenya (16), who were representing the school in the competition.

According to Sibiya, they never believed the results when they were announced winners at the provincial level as they were forced to compile all the necessary documents and coach the learners at the same time, in space of five days. “It felt good to conquer in the province and helped us to gain confidence when competing with the other eight provinces at national level,” Sibiya said.

The competition has encouraged Mbambiso High school learners to learn even more about entrepreneurship, and also follow possibly follow careers in the field.

According to Shabangu, one of the learners who represented the school in the competition , competing in the Simama Ranta has been an eye opener and a great experience it has been a great She said, “I have learnt about handling obstacles if you are a business person and how to manage and market a business or a product,” Meanwhile Ngwenya, says she has learnt to be confident about anything she wants to do even if it is not a business venture, because minutes before she got on stage she was scared, but was capable of delivery a winning presentation.

The school’s principal, Mr Absalom Sambo, says he is proud of the learners and the team of educators which prepared them ahead of competition. “It feels great to win, and even sweeter to take the first position while you are from a rural area,” Sambo said Eskom Simama Ranta Enterprise Education Competition