The reigning national Enactus champions, Bindura University of Science Education (BUSE) Enactus’ triumph at the Hult Prize Mumbai Summit set an opportunity for the team to win a whopping USD1 million project fund.
The BUSE Enactus team trio of Last Baloyi, Takudzwa Haparimwe and Tinotenda Chitanda qualified for the second selection round after finishing second at the Mumbai Summit out of 68 teams drawn from 21 countries.
They now stand a chance to progress to the July Global Accelerator competition stage in London, United Kingdom. After their victory in India, the team presented their Organic Bucket project, as well as a Poultry Feed and the Mushroom Water Purification Chemical projects, to an online panel of judges who will decide if they make it to London.
Dean of Students, Dr Chrispen Mazodze – who together with the Deputy Dean of Students Mrs Dorothy Murasi accompanied the team to India – expressed his delight for the outstanding performance of the team.
“We are extremely proud of our students and what they achieved. Their project reflects the positive impact of Education 5.0 which seeks to provide innovative solutions to contemporary challenges,” said Dr Mazodze.
Team captain, Tinotenda Chitanda, said the chance of winning USD1million presents endless possibilities for the commercialisation of their Organic Bucket project.
“The Organic Bucket provided a natural alternative to synthetic fertilizers. Given the cost of fertilisers and the subsequent negative effects of the soil, the liquid fertiliser produced by the organic bucket can transform lives and ensure sustainable land use.
“If we win the prize, it will transform our project into a commercial product that will impact the national economy as well as the lives of millions of people, not only in Zimbabwe but also in Africa,” said Chitanda.
The Hult Prize challenges young people to solve the world’s most pressing issues through social entrepreneurship. Every year, one team receives USD 1 million in funding to make their idea a reality after participating in a year-long competition which challenges young people to solve the world’s most pressing issues by creating innovative social ventures.
Furthermore, the BUSE Enactus team qualified for the Enactus World Cup in Astania, Kazakhstan after finishing in the top 6 of the Enactus Action with Africa competition.
After submitting their project proposal virtually, together with 168 other teams from around the world, BUSE made it to the finals and booked their ticket to Astania.
This will mark a second successive appearance for the team after they represented Zimbabwe at the Enactus World Cup in the Netherlands in 2023.
