As South Africa marks Youth Day, a ground-breaking programme working with high-school learners across the country has been honoured by the World Economic Forum. 

The Primestars Step Up 2 a Green Start Up Programme, which challenges learners to identify local environmental problems and turn them into business opportunities, has been selected as a project of the local chapter of the WEF’s New Champions Community because of its work in the sector of Innovation, Sustainable Infrastructure and Climate Action.

At an event held in Johannesburg today (Eds: June 14), the inclusion of Step Up 2 a Green Start Up was formally announced.

Companies Risk Insights and Imperial have partnered with WEF to create the first New Champions Community Local Chapter in South Africa. Step Up 2 a Green Start Up was one of three local projects to be selected by the chapter as part of its aim to drive and accelerate impact on the ground.

“Whilst the majority of entrepreneurship programmes target post-matric youth, our initiative aims to inspire a culture of entrepreneurship and wealth creation early on in the career development process, by taking it to schools in urban, peri-urban, township and rural areas. In so doing, we are helping a new generation to broaden their idea of work and think of themselves not just as job seekers, but as job creators, equipped with the skills necessary to be enterprising in the development of their careers,” said Primestars MD Martin Sweet at the event.

The Primestars’ annual Step Up 2 A Green Start Up National Youth Green Entrepreneurship Programme equips youth from under-resourced communities across South Africa to contribute to critically needed job creation in the green economy. 

The programme consists of four stages:

• The Edutainment Feature Film (Karabo’s Kitchen)
• Provision of the Entrepreneurs Tool Kit
• The Step Up 2 A Green Start Up National Youth Entrepreneurship Competition
• The Boot Camp and National Youth Entrepreneurship Awards

Previous successful business submissions to emerge from the annual competition include handbags made from sustainably sourced materials; the creation of roof tiles from discarded tyres and the use of mine waste to create building material.

Key sponsors of Step Up 2 a Green Start Up Programme include Omnia, Clicks, Safripol, EOH and SEDA.