Turning African grain into cosmetics wins international competition

A plan for Kenyan villages to create cosmetics out of a grain has been judged the winner of the 2010 Global Enterprise Experience.

This student business competition, run by Te Kaihau Education Trust, brings together 550 students from 30 countries, with Victoria University students leading the teams. The Victoria students are trained in facilitation skills as part of IBUS306, an international business course for experiencing management across cultures.

Victoria University students led all of the 68 global teams in a three-week effort, which involved meeting online, choosing a project, then researching, designing and writing a business proposal.

This year students were asked to develop a plan for a product or service to foster women’s social and/or economic development.

The winning business concept 'Amaranth for Africa' proposed to train women in Kenya to cultivate and harvest the amaranth grain, which grows rapidly in arid climates. The business plan involved selling the grain to be converted into valuable oils which retail for $32 per ounce and are used in cosmetics.

As well as receiving an income, the Kenyan women would be able to keep the amaranth leaves, roots and stems which are healthy and nutritious.

The winning student team consisted of Jas Giri (New Zealand), Andrea Serna Restrepo (Colombia), Jason Kirby and Alyssa Silver (USA), Oyehan Tajudeen Adeyinka (Nigeria) and Miha Sebenik (Sweden). Each receives $1,000.

Competition director Deb Gilbertson said she was thrilled to see how New Zealanders could make a difference.

"I am keen to see young people grow into global leaders who can work across differences in cultures, world views, levels of wealth and geography," says Ms Gilbertson.

"Many of our impressive New Zealanders are already leading world organisations and making a difference – this contest should inspire more to follow in their footsteps."

Many international participants go to extraordinary lengths to contribute to their team, with one competitor from Nigeria fasting to afford the internet cost and walking long distances to find a functioning internet connection. Another Nigerian sold his cellphone to afford the internet cost to communicate with his global team. This year, 12 of the participants were Iranian Baha'i, who are banned from attending public universities because of their faith. One has already spent two months imprisoned for his faith and for communicating with foreigners.

One of the judges, Victoria University's Pro-Chancellor, Helen Sutch, says, "This has been a most interesting and at times moving task. I am impressed at the thoughtfulness and concern of these teams, and the way the project has stimulated and enabled young people in poor countries, alone and facing formidable obstacles in the most difficult environments, to participate. It also appears to have been a life-changing experience for some of them."

The 68 teams were judged by the Hon Maryan Street (Opposition spokesperson on Foreign Affairs and Trade), Helen Sutch (Pro-Chancellor of Victoria University), Her Excellency Caroline Chrétien (Canadian High Commissioner) and Anu Mukherjee (from the National Bank of New Zealand and successful Indian social entrepreneur).

The Hon Maryan Street, Labour Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson, congratulated the winning team at an awards ceremony at Parliament last week.

This is the seventh time Te Kaihau Education Trust has run the competition with Victoria University students leading all of the global teams.