adminHarare Bureau
THE Boost Fellowship Enactus Zimbabwe will today host the annual Enactus Zimbabwe National Competition aimed at providing platforms to improve youth productivity and national competitiveness. The competition is expected to bring “together the top leaders of today and tomorrow” to network, share experiences and also hear about ways in which young people across Zimbabwe have been using their talents to implement community projects to improve the lives of people.
Ten teams from tertiary institutions in Zimbabwe will be showcasing their educational outreach projects.
Tertiary institutions taking part include Africa University, Catholic University, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Great Zimbabwe University, Harare Institute of Technology, National University of Science & Technology, Solusi University, Women’s University in Africa, University of Zimbabwe, Bindura University of Science Education and Midlands State University.
Enactus Zimbabwe country leader Mrs Saliwe Zakariya said the event would provide an opportunity to make a positive impression with the Enactus teams presenting their community outreach projects from around Zimbabwe.
She said the panel of corporate executive judges would use the new judging criterion introduced in 2011 to assess the teams as they present their community projects.
“The only 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?,” she said.
Mrs Zakariya said the projects have primarily social objectives whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose into the community, rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit.
“This is linked to the concept of volunteerism which is when the university students contribute their time or talents for charitable, educational, social or other worthwhile purposes, usually in their community, freely and without regard for compensation,” she said.
The champions will get the chance to represent Zimbabwe at the 2013 Enactus World Cup, which will be held in Cancun, Mexico where thirty-nine teams will be representing their home countries.
Last year, defending champions Midlands State University went through to the World finals in the United States where they were third runners up.
Online Reporter