Utah Valley University’s Enactus team from the Woodbury School of Business placed second in a national competition for its work setting up a sustainable business in Congo. There were more than 450 universities from around the country competing for the national title. The competition was held in Kansas City, Missouri in May.
Enactus emphasizes entrepreneurial business innovation. Teams work on creating a sustainable business that has a social impact and sparks social enterprise.
UVU’s Enactus team decided to focus on a business in the Congo where the unemployment rate is 80 percent. A local operated a kiosk for charging cell phones, but it had some challenges. The kiosk was in a fixed location and a gas generator was needed to power it. However, the power is very inconsistent there.
Team members presented the solution of a mobile and solar-powered kiosk. Two UVU students travelled to the Congo to build, oversee and set up the adapted business. Beau Bennett, a UVU MBA student who was one of the students who went to the Congo, said, “Enactus helped me see a project from start to finish. Setting up the business in the Congo was had its challenges but was very rewarding.”
The updated mobile and solar-powered kiosk reduced operating costs, created independence from the local electrical availability and reduced 102,144 pounds of carbon dioxide per month. There are now an additional 21 kiosks that will be run by other local entrepreneurs.
“We are looking for more students to join the team that have a business mind with a serving heart,” said Taylor Fox, the president of the UVU Enactus team.
Students interested in the UVU Enactus may come to the weekly meetings in WB 146 on Tuesdays at 7 p.m.
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About Utah Valley University
At 37,282 students and growing, Utah Valley University is the largest public university in the state of Utah and one of a few in the nation offering a dual-mission model that combines the rigor and richness of a first-rate teaching university with the openness and vocational programs of a community college. UVU’s unique model, which focuses on student success, engaged learning, rigorous academic programs and faculty-mentored research, is transforming higher education by making it more affordable and accessible to students of all backgrounds.