The Third National Competition of high school students in entrepreneurship organized by the incubator of social innovation "Munja" was held in hotel "Evropa" in Sarajevo on 7th and 8th April. Competition was attended by 100 students from 48 schools and from 31 city in B&H. This years business task in partnership with EKOPAK was generation of creative business idea in the field of recycling.

Recycling is the separation of useful materials from waste and its reuse. That includes collection, separation, processing and manufacture of new products from used items or materials. Every citizen of B&H daily produces 1 kg of waste. That is 365 kg of waste per person for one year. Only 5% of waste is recycled in B&H - other is deposited. In addition to environmental protection recycling can be a business opportunity.

Through the "Business Challenge" students develop an awareness of business and entrepreneurship, as well as problem solving skills, teamwork, analytical thinking, presentation skills, and enhance self-confidence, all that will be of great importance when they find themselves in the labor market. All of these skills are particularly important when we know that 63% of young people are unemployed or that every third person on the Employment bureau is under 30 years old.

The winning team was team "Neretva" with members Hamza Alić and Ajla Muratović from Sarajevo, Jelena Railić from Prijedor, Nudžejm Pašić from Busovača and Ermin Papračanin from Goražde. Second runner-up was the team "Maglić" with members Elna Biber and Nadina Tanović from Sarajevo, Goran Ivetić from Banja Luka, Muhiba Tešnjak from Gračanica and Amar Handžo from Mostar. Third place took team "Sana" with members Eldar Berbić from Sarajevo, Amina Hasečić from Ilijaš, Dragana Mirković from Rogatica, Tarik Veispahić from Kakanj and Dina Osmanović from Kalesija.

The members of judging team were: Violeta Čibukčić (American Chamber of Commerce), Samra Jažić (Ekopak), Sandra Stanic (M:TEL), Martina Rotim (TELEMACH) and Majda Mujanović (OXFAM/GEM).

EKOPAK was the general supporter of Competition, TELEMACH was the silver partner with the cooperation and support of partners: SHL Foundation, American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham), M:TEL, Employment Service of Sarajevo Canton, Balkan Trust for Democracy, USAID Gold Project, Junior Achievement Serbia, Mistral Solutions, Coca Cola and Spanish Market (Quickie & Palitos), and IT partner BNC.

 

At the end of April all three teams will represent Bosnia and Herzegovina at the regional competition in Montenegro where they will compete in the field of entrepreneurship together with high school students from Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.