The Enactus Exposition was attended by over 700 youths from universities across South Africa, academic staff, top business executives, sponsors as well as Enactus Alumni.

Amid strong competition, four university contenders made it to the final round, captivating the judges’ attention with their transformative projects aimed at making a positive difference in society. As the dust settled, one triumphant team emerged, securing not only the coveted top spot but also the incredible opportunity to represent South Africa on the global platform.

The Central University of Technology (CUT) was crowned National Champions for the second consecutive year at this year’s National Exposition. The CUT team was awarded the honour for its Vermi-Village, an innovative agricultural initiative in the Free State.

The enterprise addresses pressing challenges of poor soil quality and food waste by harnessing the power of Red Wiggler worms to convert organic waste into nutrient-rich vermicompost, revolutionising sustainable farming practices.

In celebration of innovation and community impact, Ford will sponsor CUT to travel to Utrecht, Netherlands, from 17 to 20 October 2023, where they will compete in the Enactus World Cup against 31 countries.

In addition to sponsoring the winning team to attend the global competition in the Netherlands, Ford reaffirmed its dedication to empowering youth through education as it announced the winners of the Ford College Community Challenge (C3) programme.

The Enactus Ford C3 Building Sustainable Communities Project for 2022/23 in South Africa showcased four outstanding teams from local universities as winners. These teams were also honoured at the Enactus National Exposition last week.

At the awards ceremony, they were presented with trophies for their remarkable implementation of student-led initiatives. Ford Motor Company Fund provided each of the four local projects with grants of $5 000 (approximately R90 000), enabling them to further implement their creative community upliftment initiatives.

Ford C3, a signature educational programme of the Ford Motor Company Fund, in partnership with Enactus, aims to foster innovative solutions among university students to address critical community needs. In addition to South Africa, the programme also extends its support to Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Brazil, the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom. Together, they share the vision of creating sustainable and thriving communities worldwide.

Neale Hill, President of Ford Motor Company, Africa, expressed his pride in the impactful initiatives of the student teams, stating: “We are extremely proud of the concepts the student teams came up with for making a difference in their communities and are inspired by the positive impact they have made.”

Reflecting on the significance of education, he reiterated: “At Ford, we believe that education is the foundation for success. It is the key to making lives better for everyone.” He urged the youth to enter the workforce with enthusiasm, carrying their ideas and passion, and to continue to uplift and empower their fellow South Africans.