Helping pupils reach for the stars

Johannesburg - ‘Catch them young’ seems to be the best strategy as was evinced at an awards ceremony where high school learners with innovative solutions for environmental challenges were handed out around R4 million in prizes in Sandton, north of Joburg.

Now in their eighth year, and punted as a platform where “the ideas of school teams are heard, tested and supported”, the Step Up 2 A Green Start Up National Youth Entrepreneurship Awards celebrated the winning ideas of high school students and the overall winners had a sponsored trip to Silicon Valley as part of their prize.

The bright sparks rose to the top of over 12 500 young people who entered from schools across the country and were flown to Joburg for a week-long boot camp, some enjoying their first time in an aeroplane and hotel stay experiences.

Eco-Friendly Coal, learners from Sibusisiwe Comprehensive Technical High School from KwaZulu/Natal (KZN) were winners of the 2022 Awards. In an age where wet coal can lead to hours and days of load shedding, it is heartening to see young people, leaders of the future, already thinking up solutions to the challenges posed by the environment.

The KZN team’s winning business concept recognised the insufficiency of coal as an energy source and decided to create an environmentally friendly alternative. The coal is conceptually sourced from Marula nuts to reduce the mining of fossil fuels and the depletion of natural resources.

“I think the judges liked our idea because of the potential to disrupt the coal industry, and because it would help the community in many ways,” said Zanele Khwela from the winning team.

“I still can’t believe we have won, I need someone to wake me up from this dream,” said fellow team member Tiffany Ogbonnaya.

“I still need to tell my mom – she’s the one who told me this team was going to win. Now we have to be practical and do more research to make this idea a reality.”

They were followed by other school teams with equally fascinating “green” names like The Earth Protectors (2nd place) from LEAP in Alexandra and The Brainiacs (3rd place), from Buhlebuzile High School.

The Earth Protectors won for their “eco log brick” concept, and third-placed The Brainiacs impressed with their plan to extract raw materials from electronic devices and repurpose the plastic waste into tar used in road construction.

Big workable plans from high school brains!

Primestars, the organisers of the Awards, say that the country is already sitting with a youth unemployment rate of 63, 9% for those aged between 15 –24 and 42.1% for those aged between 25 – 34 years. “It is time to take advantage of the green economy, which the International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates will create 60 million new jobs in the world by 2030.”

The finalists heard from speaker after speaker and business leader and mentor they interacted with over the week that the key was to create jobs, not join the long queue of job-seekers.

The Step Up 2 A Green Start-Up is making waves, even internationally. Says Martin Sweet, Managing Director of Primestars: “As recently as June, the World Economic Forum CEO, Olivier Schwab, came to Johannesburg to launch the WEF New Champions Local Chapter – South Africa’s first WEF chapter in partnership with South African business. As part of this monumental milestone, the WEF nominated and adopted only three African impact projects to collaborate with on a local and global stage. Step Up 2 Start Up was one of the three and is now a World Economic Forum recognised initiative dealing with raising entrepreneurs for a changing climate.”

Nothing could ever make it clearer for the young participants about the stature of their potential incubating program. The work of the students earned them a myriad of prizes, including tablets for themselves and their teachers, bursaries and business coaching and support from many sponsors working with the Awards organisers.

Among other secondary winners is a team that will be given IT support to develop their app by an industry leader. Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu, a friend of the Awards from the time she was responsible for the Small Business Development portfolio, said: “Today we come together here to celebrate the achievements of outstanding students and recent graduates who have demonstrated remarkable entrepreneurial qualities. This is the day on which we are recognising your formative contributions in building South Africa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.”

“Primestars was founded with the intention to foster early entrepreneurship among young South Africans. Early exposure to entrepreneurship is a sure way to ensure that a growing population among us learns the skills that will set them in their future careers, regardless of whether one chooses to be an entrepreneur, or to be employed elsewhere.”

The biggest inspiration of the day came from businessman Mike Teke, who delivered the keynote address. Born and bred in KwaThema, Springs, Teke invoked lessons learnt from his grandmother about the work ethic. He lambasted the lax 8 – 4 work ethic of young South Africans across the colour bar.

For Teke, the true entrepreneur is one seized with the desire to build a legacy, not win a tender from the government. He cited various business leaders who left living legacies long after their departure, including Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.

To be young, gifted and black has big rewards as the Step Up 2 A Green Start Up National Youth Entrepreneurship Awards ceremony attests.