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Enactus Ryerson has won the 2013 Enactus National Championship for enabling social, environmental and economic progress through entrepreneurial action.

Over the course of the three-day 2013 Enactus Canada National Exposition, 1,200 student delegates from across the country presented their community outreach projects and business ventures. A 58-person judging panel comprised of top Canadian CEOs awarded Enactus Ryerson the national honour, including first place in the 2013 Scotiabank EcoLiving Green Challenge. The Ryerson team took home the Tim Hortons Cup in recognition of the impact the team has made at home and abroad through financial literacy and entrepreneurship projects which are empowering individuals, including more than 800 young urban mothers, disadvantaged youth and impoverished villagers in Dago, Kenya.

Competition participants include: Alif Ruhul, third-year; Katy Brenneman, fourth-year; Albetel Aberra, fourth-year; Tyler Baird, fourth-year; Curtis Yim, fourth-year; Joseph Lu, fourth-year; Lediona Canellari, first-year; Stefany Nieto, first-year; Michael Wong, third-year; David Kwok, second-year; Heather Norris, third-year; Igor Oro, fourth-year; Sonya Noronha, second-year; and Jessica Tran, second-year.

Ryerson Today first reported on Enactus Ryerson’s trip to Dago, Kenya in March 2012. The Ted Rogers School of Management group set up microloans for 20 women in the village and taught them financial literacy skills to empower them to keep their community running sustainably. Five members of Enactus Ryerson then returned in July 2012 to help the community set up a beekeeping operation to earn extra income and feed local orphans. As a result, Enactus Ryerson has educated 10 local farmers on the environmental benefits of beekeeping and honey production and introduced 320,000 bees to the local area, which pollinated 8,658 acres of farmland.

“The beekeeping enterprise showed us the impact entrepreneurship education can have on their life,” said Enactus Ryerson president Curtis Yim at a recent presentation. “At Enactus we’re about turning ideas into reality.”

Their sweet initiative in Kenya is what got the team the EcoLiving Championship.

“It is clear from the quality of projects submitted at this year’s competition that youth are leading the way toward a greener future in Canada,” said Kaz Flinn, vice-president of corporate social responsibility for Scotiabank. “Initiatives like this one encourage all of us to begin thinking about sustainable solutions that will benefit ourselves, our families and the communities we call home.”

The national champion team took home the Tim Hortons Cup and will represent Canada at the Enactus World Cup taking place in Mexico Sept. 29 to Oct. 1, 2013. There, student teams from 38 countries will compete for the ultimate title of Enactus World Cup Champion.

Enactus Canada is a charitable organization with a global network of 38 countries and 2,300 student leaders.

Enactus Ryerson runs 13 programs that provide opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience in helping others achieve personal and professional success. From financial literacy to environmental sustainability to venture capitalism, Enactus Ryerson helps communities learn new skills and improve their lives. For more information, please visit www.enactusryerson.ca.