Chronicle Editor
Michael Makuza, Business Reporter
A GROUP of 15 Lower Six pupils from Mpopoma High School in Bulawayo have formed a company called “Nature Foods Limited”, which is into production of soya milk.
The company was formed in July this year and has been named among the top entrepreneurship projects under the Junior Achievement Zimbabwe, an organisation that assists the youth on economic empowerment by bridging the gap between classroom education and the world of work.
Annastacia Phiri (18), who is the chief executive officer for Nature Foods company said they have easily formed the company but were having challenges with supplies of soya beans.
She said their dream was to have an established plant and move out of school and have their own production factory that will supply to supermarkets and other retailers.
“We also want to become a well-known company in Bulawayo and Zimbabwe as a whole and hopefully in the world,” she said.
“We are advised to find a stable supplier like someone who already plants the soya beans to ensure the quality of the plant.
“We are looking at that and we also had a couple of financial problems in purchasing the equipment that we are looking for.”
Mrs Sanelisiwe Phiri, an accounts teacher and supervisor of the young entrepreneurship club at the school said plans were underway to commercialise the new soya milk product. She, however, said progress was being hampered by lack of capital.
“As soon as we have enough capital to register our company, we will then start mass production of soya milk for the market,” she said.
“We are still yet to go for standardisation but we are planning to go and see the Standard Association of Zimbabwe so that they test our product. It’s not yet tested.”
Mpopoma High School came first during recent Junior Achievement Awards after its product was named best in the awards competition event that also saw Townsend High School and Maranatha Adventist High coming second and third respectively.
Mrs Phiri said the production of the soya milk was an easy process that does not require them to do much work.
“Basically, what we do is to soak the beans overnight for five to six hours and then in the morning we rub the beans to peel off the outer layer and after that we use a mortar and pestle to crush the beans until it’s a dough,” she said.
“When the dough is fine, we pour water on the dough and we then sieve the liquid, which is then boiled for one-and-a-half hours and after that it’s milk.”
Mrs Phiri said the milk will benefit almost everyone apart from the school, the pupils, the community and the whole country. She said the product will help improve the health of the country given the high nutrition value of soya.
“It has multi uses like healing sinuses, arthritis, addresses cough, helps women who are infertile and many other benefits,” she said.
Mpopoma High School, Townsend High School and Maranatha Adventist will be battling it out with other schools at the National Junior Achievement competitions to be held in November in Harare.
The winner at the national level will book a spot at the regional competition to be held in Lagos, Nigeria.
Online Reporter