Irish join social business competition

IRISH UNIVERSITY students with “a head for business and a heart for the world” are taking part in a global competition for social entrepreneurship for the first time.

Almost 50,000 students from 1,500 universities worldwide are taking part in Students in Free Enterprise (Sife), which involves setting up projects to improve the quality of life and standard of living of people in need.

Previous projects have included training people on low incomes to run childcare services in the US; helping disadvantaged women in Brazil set up a chocolate-making enterprise; promoting a bike shop set up by a mental health group in Germany; and helping establish bee-keeping businesses in Ghana.

Accountancy firm KPMG was instrumental in bringing the initiative to Ireland because of its support for Sife abroad. KPMG managing partner Terence O’Rourke said it was a fantastic opportunity for students to use their talents and skills in a practical way. “It’s about ensuring our next generation of business leaders and entrepreneurs act in a more socially aware and responsible way for the benefit of their communities.”

Students from Dublin City University, NUI Galway, Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin are taking part in the competition. The winning team will represent Ireland at the Sife World Cup 2012 in Washington in September. US secretary of state Hillary Clinton will host a reception for the finalists.

Ireland international and Leinster rugby player Leo Cullen is on the board of Sife Ireland.

“Now, more than ever, it’s important that students realise how their skills and abilities can be fulfilled personally to effect positive change for people less well off in our society,” he said.

TCD law student Sarah Oppermann is taking part in the competition. She said her group was working on three ideas involving reducing food waste, putting empty shop space to better use and working with long- term unemployed people. “I think the concept of using business in a socially conscious way is very important, so when I read about Sife I was delighted to get involved.”

Daithí de Buitléir from DCU said his involvement had been “a brilliant experience so far” and he was looking forward to the national competition in May.

Sife Ireland is supported by The Irish Times, Arthur Cox, Chartis, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, The Ireland Funds, KBC Bank, McDonald’s Restaurants of Ireland, Unilever and Senator Feargal Quinn.

For further information go to www.sife.org