Story by Memory Chamisa
THE University of Zimbabwe’s Enactus Club has returned home to a hero’s welcome after clinching first place at the Enactus World Cup Early-Stage Competition held in Bangkok, Thailand, last week.
It was a proud moment at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport Tuesday evening as the victorious group of young men and women arrived back home.
Their outstanding performance put Zimbabwe on the global map, with the team earning accolades for their innovative and impactful projects that promote sustainable development.
The achievement is not only a milestone for the University of Zimbabwe but also a testament to the country’s growing presence in youth-led innovation and entrepreneurship on the international stage.
The students, who took part in this year’s early stage World Cup of Enactus from September 25 to 28, wowed the adjudicators with their EcoCynth project, which saw them using invasive weeds to create biodegradable paper, egg trays/crates and lightweight chipboard for furniture like chairs and tables.
“The competition was tough as we faced off innovations that included AI-generated designs, ICT robotics systems, and our brainstorming from the water hyacinths infestation in Lake Chivero proved to be a game changer and won. This is clear enough that though we went in as the underdogs, we have the ability to make it at the global stage, and we look forward to the finals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil next year,” student, Abigirl Chiviya said.
“This was an experience of a lifetime and I’m grateful to my professors for the mentorship and teammates for the teamwork that has shown the world that even if they considered us from the third world, we still have it in us to come up with such innovations,” another student, Martin Mutemachani, said.
The project has already created economic value for the students and the nation.
“This project has seen the students even opening up their own company to sell the paper and egg-trays they are making from water hyacinth. The students have not only identified problems in their communities but have managed to create and run entrepreneurial projects to solve those problems, which testifies to the university’s vision of not just churning out graduates but entrepreneurs as well,” Faculty of Business Management Advisor, University of Zimbabwe, Dr Rosemary Masaire said.
“This mirrors UZ’s thrust under Education 5.0 to move beyond theoretical inquiry towards transformative, problem-solving research that uplifts communities. These ventures, especially those addressing agriculture, health and education, feed into UZ’s innovation hubs and industrial parks, creating a pipeline from idea to product,” Dean of Students, University of Zimbabwe, Dr Joachim Kwaramba said.
The Enactus global network offers university students a platform for innovation visibility, partnership opportunities and entrepreneurial skills that develop industry-ready graduates.
