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Trust Freddy Youth Interactive writer

Nyanga High School Marist Brothers’ innovation team stood confidently as they presented a unique innovation which wowed judges and left everyone mesmerized at the just ended National Business Case Competitions (NBCC) finals held in Harare,recently.

Pitching their idea in only five minutes, as per competition rules, a team of sixth form students from Marist Brothers eloquently explained a pig feed project that seeks to boost Nyanga’s agricultural economy.

For inventing an organic eco-friendly pig grower made from monkey bread (Masekesa or Mutukutu) and explaining how this pig grower change lives for rural students and those into pig farming, Nyanga High School scooped the NBCC and won US$1 500 cash prize plus US$5000 seed capital.

“In order for us as young entrepreneurs to be innovative we did not only think outside the box but without it by recognising the abundance of the proclaimed tree of the year of 2021 as mentioned by the forest commission of Zimbabwe, Musekesa or mutukutu and we managed to make an organic eco-friendly straight feed from this golden resource,” said Donald Tombo (19) who was part of the team.  

Donald said they had conducted trials on their school’s pigs and the new pig grower proved to be efficient and carries the same nutritious value with the existing livestock feeds.

In second place was Milton Boys High School which pocketed $1 000 cash prize after pitching a unique cereal bicycle while Westridge High School pitched a bicycle venture and it settled for third spot with $750 cash prize. The Milton Boys High team stood confidently presenting a unique cereal dubbed, “Health Eats”, a breakfast cereal made from indigenous and exotic fruits.

This is an organic breakfast delights range made from real tropical banana, orange, pineapple and indigenous msawa real fruit extracts which not only contain the a very it is also cost effective as there is no need to add additional ingredients such as sweeteners and milk,” Mqondisi Moyo of Milton boys High Lower 6 study.

The top five school teams won US$5,000 seed capital each out of 30 schools that participated and additional prize money as the competition, which seeks to develop Africa’s future business leaders, closed its curtains for 2022.

The Emergination Africa with the assistance of ZB Bank and Delotte partnered with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to host National Business Case Competitions (NBCC) to empower pupils through business skills and opportunity in line with competence based curriculum.

Other notable presentations were from Mutendi High School who presented a soap-making product using citrus fruits while Munyaradzi High School produced lap desks recycled from plastic paper.

Youth Interaction also caught up with former Northlea High School pupil,  Ivy Ndlovu (19) a beneficiary of  the previous competitions who was exhibiting at the NBCC.

“We participated in the NBCC in 2020 and entered the via programme in 2021, now we are running a business which is registered as Ballenious Investments Pvt ltd in Bulawayo,”she said.

“Ballenious is focused on discovering and harnessing the power that lies in nature to solving of today’s health problems. We started by focusing on the baobab plant,we have Nutrisip juice, a lactose-free nutri-medical baobab juice and Nutricoffee 100% caffeine-free baobab coffee.”

Ivy Ndlovu said as a team they were happy with the market response and encouraged other youths to never stop dreaming.

“In other cities we do order based sales, we started this company last year with my fellow mates Laura Mubayiwa and Praise Maliko. We had dozens of nutricep juices and we ran out of supply because our juices are on demand,” she said.

Speaking on the sidelines of the competition co-founder and executive director of Emergination Africa Taku Machirori said their vision is to see an African country where all young people are equipped with skills to create economic opportunities not only for themselves but for others.

 “Our ambition is to reach and train 20 000 teachers who impact 2 million learners who will therefore create 360 sustainable ventures, which are looking to fund to the tune of $1.6 million,” Mr Machirori said.