swaziland times

MANZINI – Ulama Sango High School has done it again.

The school will represent Swaziland in Mauritius for the second time in a row in December 2024.The school was crowned Junior Achievement (JA) Swaziland National Champion 2024 yesterday at the JA Swaziland National Competition held at the George Hotel in Manzini. This was the 16th annual company competition hosted by JA Swaziland with the theme “Green Innovation”. Vulamasango High School was one of the six schools competing for the national title. The students built an electro-cultivation generator. On the other hand, St Mary’s High School and Moyeni High School made it to the top three.

Vulamasango also won three other awards: Most Innovative Company, Best Record Keeping and Excellence in Project Management. Meanwhile, Moyeni High School won the Best Theme Award, while U-Tech School won the Most Viable Business Award. Kukhanyeni High School won the Best Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Award.

develop

Before presenting the awards to the winners, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade, Manqoba Khumalo, represented by the Principal Secretary of the Ministry, Melusi Masuku, said the theme of “Green Innovation” resonated with the country’s commitment to sustainable development and economic growth. He then praised JA Eswatini for its tireless efforts to foster youth entrepreneurship. He said the organisation’s efforts to equip young people with the skills and knowledge to create innovative and sustainable businesses are invaluable to the nation’s progress. The Minister said the theme of “Green Innovation” was particularly timely as they grapple with the challenges of climate change and resource scarcity. It is therefore inspiring, he said, to see young entrepreneurs at the forefront of solutions to these pressing issues while creating economic opportunities. The Minister said the government recognised the critical role that entrepreneurship plays in driving economic growth and creating jobs.

Important

He also said the JA Alumni Awards showed them how important these business ideas are. He told young people, “View challenges as opportunities to grow and innovate. Network with other entrepreneurs, seek mentorship, and leverage existing resources to scale your business.” He added that the innovation and pride shown by this year’s participating schools is a testament to the transformative power of the JA program.
He said it was also inspiring to see the entrepreneurial spirit and deep sense of responsibility burning in the hearts of young people across the country.
He told the students that as they compete for the title of Company of the Year, they should remember that the real victory lies in the knowledge, skills and experience they gain in the competition. Whether they win or not, they are winners in the eyes of the nation, he said.
Furthermore, he said that in 2023 they have a good representation in Rwanda at Vulamasango High School and they are looking forward to the winner (Vulamasango High School) to represent the country in Mauritius in December where they will compete with other best students in Africa.