– Junior Achievement South Africa is proud to announce the Standard Bank Tutuwa Foundation Innovation competition team winners. Six teams from three schools in Gauteng, Free State and Mpumalanga participated in Standard Bank Tutuwa Community Foundation Innovation Competition on the 9th June 2023, impressing a panel of judges with their real life solutions. The first place winning team is Natural Caress, a skincare company with organic products aimed at teenage skin. Link here. The sought- after product displays a user friendly online shopping experience, impressing judges with their use of natural products and intensive market research.
In second place was Organic Shake, providing a healthy beverage drink. Link here.
In third place was Stitch Sound, integrating traditional speakers to wireless technology. Link here. The top three winning teams received a total of R 7500 in seed funding toward their businesses.
“Thanks to the Standard Bank -Tutuwa Community Foundation these young people would have otherwise not had this life changing experience. Today they are confident individuals who are solving problems in their communities and consider entrepreneurship as a viable option” says JA South Africa’s National Programmes Manager, Bonga Khumalo.
The pilot programme in partnership with Standard Bank Tutuwa Foundation saw all learners participate in JA programmes from grade 7 – grade 11 (over a four year period).
Standard Bank-Tutuwa Community Foundation, has played an instrumental role in preparing and inspiring the youth for the future, providing all three core offerings throughout the pilot programme.
About the pilot programme:
The learners started in 2019 whilst learners were still in grade seven participating in the Opportunities Out There Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Manufacturing and Design (OOTSTEM2D).
In 2020 in grade eight, they participated in a Social Innovation Programme and were introduced to ideation. In 2021 they completed the Be Entrepreneurial and Success Skills Programmes, both programmes igniting entrepreneurial thinking and preparing them for the world of work. During 2022 they participated in our JA South Africa flagship programme, Enterprise Programme affording them an opportunity to put to practice all the knowledge they acquired in the past two years by establishing a business and producing a product. During this fifth year, whilst in matric, learners were challenged to look into strategies to evolve and scale their businesses culminating in all six teams presenting to a panel of judges, their innovative ideas.
About JA South Africa
Junior Achievement (JA) South Africa—a member of JA Worldwide—is one of South Africa’s largest and most-impactful youth-serving NGOs. JA South Africa has a presence in all nine provinces and has reached over 600,000 youth since its inception in 1979. It is JA Africa’s oldest JA member and reaches youth through entrepreneurship, work readiness, and financial literacy.
For more information visit www.jasa.org.za
