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Kampala, Uganda, June 28, 2024 – Junior Achievement (JAU) announced the winners of this year’s Company of the Year award on Thursday, June 27, 2024.
The theme of this year’s Junior Achievement Corporate Program is Green Creation It is jointly funded by Boeing and the Project Management Education Institute Foundation (PMIEF).
The partnership provided entrepreneurship education to a total of 3,500 high school students in Kampala and Masaka regions.
This is the first time the competition has incorporated learning opportunities that promote environmental stewardship and resource conservation as part of the program.
Eleven student-founded companies Pitched their sustainable business project at the JA Uganda National Competition Awards Ceremony.
Eleven companies founded by students from nine schools presented their sustainable business solutions at the JA Uganda Company of the Year national competition in Kampala on June 27, coinciding with the World Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Day.
The grand prize was awarded to Eco Dynamics JA, a company from Kitred Sacred Heart Secondary School in the Masaka region, which will represent Uganda at the JA Africa Regional Company of the Year Competition to be held in Mauritius from December 4 to 6, 2024.
Ms. Racheal Mwagale, Executive Director of JA Uganda, thanked the funders for their significant contribution to improving financial literacy among young people in Uganda.
“Financial literacy means more than just understanding money; it means empowering our young people to make smart decisions, plan for their futures and build a foundation for financial stability and success,” she said.
She added: “Through the training programme, our participants learnt the importance of budgeting, saving, investing and understood the dynamics of credit and debt. They also developed a keen sense of entrepreneurship and the confidence to tackle the financial challenges of the modern world.”
In a written statement issued at the event, Kuljit Ghata-Ola, president of Boeing Middle East, Turkey, Africa and Central Asia, said they support the plan to prepare the younger generation for the future.
“We are delighted to expand our existing partnership with Junior Achievement Africa to Uganda. By fostering entrepreneurship at an early age, we prepare students to become active contributors to the economy and society, preparing them for future challenges and opportunities. The environmental and social aspects of the program help youth embed sustainable practices from the outset,” the statement read.
As Uganda faces high youth unemployment rates, the programme plays a vital role in creating opportunities for young people while empowering them to tackle climate-related challenges head-on.
Ms Simi Nwogugu, CEO of JA Africa, said in a statement Sboniso Madlopha, Vice President of JA Africa Operations, said “Our joint initiative with Boeing, ‘Our Future – Tomorrow’s Innovators’, advances our mission to empower youth in entrepreneurship, STEM and sustainability. Over the past four years, this partnership has inspired more than 5,000 young Africans to realize their potential and innovate for a sustainable future. We are confident that this program in Uganda will support a new generation of innovative and sustainability-minded entrepreneurs.”
Government pledges support for winning team
The Minister of State for Higher Education, John Chrisostom Muyingo, represented by the Assistant Commissioner for Private Schools and Institutions in the Ministry of Education, Mr George Mutekanga, expressed the government’s commitment to supporting the planned objectives of JA Corporation.
“Uganda and Junior Achievement Africa are to be commended for what they have achieved in imparting entrepreneurial skills and knowledge to young people. This reinforces our new approach to the education system in the new curriculum,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister, he commended JA Uganda for its efforts in shaping the future of young Ugandans in terms of job preparation, business management, project planning and innovation.
“The challenges facing the world today require innovative approaches to solve them, and that’s exactly what Junior Achievement is doing.”
Mr Mutkanga while addressing the participating teams and invited guests promised that the government would provide support to the winning team especially when they find time to travel to Mauritius to compete at the African level.
“What we need to do now as a government is to look at how best to support the winning team. They will first have a courtesy meeting with the minister and we will ensure they get all the support they need,” he said.
Since 2008, the JA Corporate Program has been a catalyst for entrepreneurial development in Uganda, with 70% of participants starting their own businesses. Notable alumni include Andrew Mupuya, founder of Youth Entrepreneurship Link Investments (YELI), Solomon Odongo, founder of 1MillionYouth Uganda, Belinda Esaete, founder of Beldeluxe Sleepwear, Boris Mugisha Nahabwe, founder of Tubaayo MarketPlace, and Don Bujjingo, managing director of Aloesha Organics.
About Junior Achievement Uganda
Junior Achievement Uganda (JAU) is part of Junior Achievement Africa, one of the world’s largest non-governmental organizations dedicated to addressing the fundamental social and economic challenges facing young people by educating and empowering them to transform their futures and achieve economic success.
By providing cutting-edge experiential learning in financial literacy, job readiness, and entrepreneurship, we effectively broaden the possibilities for young people, strengthening their ability to participate in their own economic development and contribute to their families, communities, and the economy.
Junior Achievement Uganda (JAU) is a non-profit organization established in 2008 and a member of JA Worldwide, working primarily in schools, engaging out-of-school youth through JA’s flagship program, the JA Corporate Program, and has impacted more than 130,000 learners to date over the past 3 years.
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