Championing Youth Leadership – The Inter‑School Business Challenge Winner
How a team of five students from a rural school won the AFT Inter‑School Business Challenge and launched a social enterprise.
In November 2024, AFT hosted its inaugural Inter‑School Business Challenge, bringing together teams from 15 schools across the Kandy District. The competition required students to design a sustainable business plan that addressed a social issue in their community.
The winning team, from a small rural school called Mahamaya Girls’ College, proposed a low‑cost water filtration system for underserved villages. Their plan combined local materials with simple engineering, making it affordable and scalable. They impressed the judges with their research, presentation, and passion.
As the grand prize winners, they received seed funding of Rs. 100,000 and ongoing mentorship from AFT’s network of entrepreneurs. Within three months, they had installed the first 10 units in nearby villages, providing clean drinking water to over 200 families. The team leader, Nadeesha, said: “We never imagined our idea could become a reality. AFT gave us the confidence and resources to turn our vision into action.” This initiative is now being expanded to other districts, thanks to the enthusiasm and drive of these young changemakers.