MC Enactus has conducted the first ever Raptors for Change entrepreneurship competition. Raptors for Change is a fundraising event designed for students to raise money for charities.
The teams of no more than 4 students are given $18 and 18 handcrafted Ugandan necklaces. These are the only resources given to the students that they can use to raise money. The students can use these resources however they wish, but the $18 is to be treated as a loan and the students must return the money to MC Enactus at the end of the competition.
The necklaces must also be returned, or the students must return at least $2 for every necklace that they have sold or handed out.
All money earned from the necklaces will be donated to the Ibanda Project, however, there are three other charities that the students may donate their winnings to; Operation Bling, Kiva or the MC Food Pantry.
The Ibanda Project helps support the women of the Ibanda region of Uganda as they try to become financially self-sufficient through the sales of their handmade necklaces. Operation Bling helps give cancer patients new jewelry to wear. Kiva gives microloans to entrepreneurs around the world. And finally, the MC Food Pantry helps feed hungry students at Montgomery College who might not be able to afford a meal every day.
“We plan on reinvesting the money,” said student Gabe Khan when asked about his team’s strategy entering this competition. “One of our team member’s cousins owns a cupcake shop and we were going to buy and sell some of the cupcakes.”
“As an entrepreneur, I plan on taking risks,” said student Abigail Joy Cajoyn. “I’m going to scope out the environment and identify the needs of the people.”
Professor Joanne Frazier is one of the lead directors of this competition and she was very pleased with the amount of students that showed up for this event. “I’m thrilled beyond my brains,” said Professor Frazier.
For more information on this competition, check out the official Facebook page: facebook.com/raptorsforchange