University of Zimbabwe win Enactus championship to represent in Mexico

University of Zimbabwe 2013 Enactus competition

THE University of Zimbabwe last week earned the chance to represent Zimbabwe in Mexico at the Enactus World Cup championships after beating eight teams from tertiary institutions across the country at the national competitions in Harare.

UZ, whose projects were deemed to be the best, also represented the country in the 2005 edition of the competition and won the World Cup.

The teams were expected to come up with projects where they contributed their time or talents for charitable, educational or social purposes in their communities freely.

The UZ team helped to organise and form the Mukuvisi Plastics Co-operative which helps plastic collectors better run their business and increase their income.

Speaking at the competitions in Harare, Securico managing director Mrs Devine Ndhlukula urged students to make entrepreneurship a way of life.

"Entrepreneurship plays a vital role in society by keeping our economy vibrant and making opportunities available to more people.

"New businesses and small companies are an important pillar of our economic engine," she said.

She said the teams had to strive to transfer principles such as honesty, strong moral principles to their project beneficiaries in their various community engagements.

"Young people should work for a purpose, keep a balanced life and continue to give back to the community.

"You might make money and find success in what you do but it means nothing unless you have a purpose. Everyone, including organisations, should have a purpose. And that purpose must be society," Mrs Ndhlukula added.

Tertiary institutions that took part in the competition this year include Africa University, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Great Zimbabwe University, Harare Institute of Technology, National University of Science and Technology, Solusi University, Women's University in Africa, University of Zimbabwe, Bindura University Of Science Education and Midlands State University.

This year's World Cup will be held in Mexico from September 29 to October 1.

The World Cup provides teams with the opportunity to present their outreach projects to a panel of judges who evaluate those projects and determine which teams had the most impact improving the quality of life and standard of living for members of their community.

This competitive process creates a "best-practice" sharing environment and is aimed at fostering a healthy spirit of competition, which encourages and rewards excellence.

The parameters that Enactus Worldwide places on project activity is that teams' programmes should be designed to address the Enactus Judging Criterion: Considering the relevant economic, social and environmental factors, which Enactus team most effectively empowered people in need by applying business and economic concepts and an entrepreneurial approach to improve their quality of life and standard of living.