A select group of 18 young entrepreneurs from across the country showcased their community-driven business ideas at the annual Junior Achievement (JA) South Africa Company of the Year Competition held at Citi Bank Plaza in Sandton.
The winning team was Core Vortex of McAuley House School in Parktown which presented decorative jars made from recycled material. They were awarded a cash prize for their school, flights for the team and a chaperone to Harare, Zimbabwe to compete in the JA Africa Regional Company of the Year Competition in December.
The competition acknowledges the growing importance of entrepreneurship among young South Africans who have the potential to contribute towards the country’s economic prosperity. It highlights business ideas conceptualised by Grade 10 and 11 pupils participating in JA South Africa’s Mini Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Academy Programmes.
Second and third places were awarded to Glamorous Creations of Stanger Manor Secondary School, KwaZulu-Natal for its medical alert bracelet that allows a person to carry vital medical information on them in style, and Flip To Fold of Malibu High School, Western Cape that presented a clothing folding device made from recyclable material.
“Our experiential programmes run throughout the year and ignite a spark in young people to experience and realise the opportunities, realities and challenges of the working environment. The creative business ideas put forward at this year’s competition are a testament to the success of our programmes,” commented Nelly Mofokeng, acting managing director of JA South Africa.
The pupils of nine different schools across South Africa were selected to pitch their team business plans to a panel of external judges. All qualifying teams first attended a series of mentorship workshops leading up to the competition to help improve their business ideas, problem-solving, leadership and presentation skills.
Judges’ assessments were based on a number of criteria including business idea clarity, the team’s ability to think critically, understanding basic business principles and the sustainability and relevance of the product or service which must also embody social responsibility.
Citi SA head of trade and treasury solutions, Peter Crawley, said the Citi Foundation was focused on providing youth with career readiness tools and opportunities needed to thrive in the 21st-century economy.
“Together with JA South Africa, we are helping youth build an entrepreneurial mindset, acquire leadership, financial and workplace skills and begin to engage in the formal economy,” he concluded.
