By Morkporkpor Anku, GNA
Accra, Aug. 28, GNA - The Heritage Christian College (HCC), has awarded eight teams of students with a total of GH¢100,000.00 to start their own businesses after emerging winners in the Star-Up Challenge.
The HCC Start-Up Challenge is an initiative of the Centre for Entrepreneurship, Philanthropy and Ethics (CEPE), a unit of HCC.
Dr Samuel Twumasi-Ankrah, the President of HCC, presenting the cheques to the awardees, at a media conference, said the Centre annually organised business competition for members in the University Community towards facilitating national development.
The awardees are RoseMush Farm Ghana Limited (Mushroom Farming) which received GH¢20,000.00; A-DAN Snail and Mushroom Farm - GH¢15,000.00; ADPEX TRACK Agency Ghana (Commercial Vehicle Tracking Service) - GH¢13,000.00; and Day Care Centre (Child Care Services) - GH¢12,000.00.
The rest are PESEZ Farms (Poultry Farming) - GH ¢10,000.00; PROMPTO PACS (Catering Services) - GH¢10,000.00; Kings and Queens Unisex Saloon (Grooming Services) - GH¢10,000.00; and Geo-Thess Interior Decoration (Interior Decoration) - GH¢10,000.00.
Dr Twumasi-Ankrah said the aim of the competition was to support those with the best business proposals to turn them proposals into successful businesses.
The Centre, he said, sought to challenge student entrepreneurs to Dream, Experiment, literate, and Persist.
He said the HCC believed that if the economy of the country was to advance and provide better living conditions and better opportunities for all citizens, the economy must expand.
He said growth and expansion of the economy meant more sustainable employment opportunities, creating more income, which would ultimately be translated into reduction in the level if poverty in the economy.
"One of the core philosophies of HCC is to develop and nurture all members of the College Community to be in positions to create sustainable employment opportunities in Ghana and beyond,” he stated.
Dr Williams Atuilik, the Executive Director, CEPE explained that the competition involved student-created, student-managed and student-owned business ventures.
He said the competition was available to teams with at least two students but not more than four, with each team having one adviser or a mentor, who must be a faculty member or a staff of HCC.
The mentor and adviser serve as guides during the development of the business plans and pitch presentation.
The CEPE is a non-profit Centre that seeks to support students, faculty, other employees of the HCC and the entire HCC Community with entrepreneurial skills and financial support to undertake viable entrepreneurial venture.
“CEPE is an independent Centre of HCC with the objective of developing and nurturing ethical entrepreneurs with the spirit of philanthropy," he said.
Mr Frank Opare, a member of the RoseMush Farm Ghana Limited Team, the overall winner, told the GNA that they were grateful to the CEPE for the opportunity to pitch their ideas and to the judges for believing in them.
He attributed their feat to their determination to succeed and the assistance they received through the processes. "We went through a lot of mentorship from experts and faculty members associated with the Centre," he added.
He urged continuing students to take advantage of the opportunity created by the Centre to develop their entrepreneurial skills and contribute to the development of the economy.
RoseMush Farm Ghana Limited produces Oyster mushrooms with value additions.
Some of its products are powdered, dried, spiced Oyster mushrooms and powdered mushroom for food supplements.
GNA
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