University of Cape Town MBA students win global innovation competition

The UCT team’s winning project, 'Mntase Cares – Mobile Clinics for Youth Empowerment' is designed to address the pressing issue of teenage pregnancy in South Africa by deploying mobile clinics equipped with reproductive health services, educational support, and telehealth technology to underserved communities. Through an innovative integration of healthcare services and educational initiatives, the project aims to break cycles of poverty by empowering South African youth to make informed choices that will reduce health risks and educational disruptions while enhancing gender equality and contributing to the nation’s socio-economic development.

The winning project was named at a gala in Geneva, Switzerland, where team members showcased their idea to an international audience of academics, policymakers, and development practitioners. The all-female team, comprised of Dr Marisse Venter, Vaylen Kirtley, Noludwe Ntsangani, Dr Genevieve de Ponte, and Lynette Tasaranarwo, brings together first-year MBA students from a diverse array of professional backgrounds including healthcare, media and finance. “We are deeply honoured by this recognition and immensely grateful to have the crisis of teenage pregnancy brought to the attention of an international audience through the Geneva Challenge,” noted Dr Marisse Venter on behalf of the winning team.

South Africa has one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy in the world, with nearly one in four girls becoming pregnant during their teenage years, driving school drop-outs, gender-based violence and cyclical poverty. “Now imagine being just 13 years old, isolated in a rural area with no access to hospitals, clinics, Wi-Fi, or reliable cell phone service,” observed Dr Venter. “Imagine facing judgement from your community with nowhere to turn for help. This is the reality for many young girls, and it is precisely what our initiative, Mntase Cares, seeks to address.”

Derived from the isiXhosa word for sibling, Mntase Cares is designed to create a safe haven for vulnerable teenage girls. Inspired by a successful Rwandan programme that more than tripled contraceptive use among young women in that country, the winning project integrates global best practices and insights from this Rwandan programme with a deep understanding of South Africa’s unique context and challenges. “Guided by the spirit of Ubuntu – ‘I am because we are’ – our goal is to uplift our communities and give every young person the chance for a brighter future,” explains Dr Venter. “To truly achieve this, we need the support of leaders, communities, and philanthropic partnerships to break these cycles of hardship.”

“This outstanding achievement by our students exemplifies the UCT GSB's commitment to fostering solutions to critical global challenges,” noted Dr Catherine Duggan, director (dean) of the UCT Graduate School of Business, “We're proud to see our students bring cutting-edge solutions developed in Africa to the global stage and glad to see African innovations receive global recognition.”

This win follows another major international achievement for the UCT GSB’s MBA programme, which was ranked seventh globally on the Better World MBA rankings of the most sustainable MBAs released earlier this month. “Our MBA is designed to foster innovative, impactful solutions to critical global challenges,” remarked Dr Caitlin Ferreira, programme director of the Modular MBA at the UCT GSB. “Empowering youth is a vital part of building sustainable futures – not just for Africa, but for the world.”

The Geneva Challenge was launched in 2014 by the Geneva Graduate Institute with the support of Ambassador Jenö Staehelin and the patronage of former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Now in its 11th year, the competition fosters interdisciplinary and international collaboration among graduate students to tackle complex global challenges. The 2024 edition, which focused on youth empowerment, underscored the critical role of young people in shaping sustainable futures.