About JA :: What's New

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release:
October 14, 2010

SWAZILAND TEENS WIN INAUGURAL AFRICA REGION
JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT COMPANY OF THE YEAR COMPETITION

Student company bests 12 other finalists to take regional title.

Nairobi, Kenya — On Friday in Nairobi, Kenya, Junior Achievement selected Lusoti Investors Investments (PTY) Ltd. - formed by a team of teen entrepreneurs from Lusoti High School, Simunye, in the Lubombo Region of Swaziland- the winners of the first Africa Region JA Company of the Year Competition. Barclays' generous sponsorship made this milestone event possible, bringing the members of 13 successful student-created and operated companies from 11 sub-Saharan countries together to showcase business expertise and hands-on learning.

Lusoti Investors Investments (PTY) Ltd. won first place by demonstrating superior performance and innovation. The young entrepreneurs created chalk. Lusoti Investors Investments (PTY) Ltd was able to generate a 306-percent return on shareholders' investment, while using a portion of profits to conduct two corporate social responsibility projects.

Second-place honors went to "Shoe Supremacy," a Botswana-based Junior Achievement student company that produced traditional leather shoes with soles made from recycled tires. Third place went to Lynx from Zimbabwe. The company made and sold personalized school bags. An Honorable Mention went to Lawol Welli Company from The Gambia, which made batik and tie-dyed bags and table runners.

The Africa Region JA Company of the Year Competition is a contest of business skills, ingenuity
and innovation that focuses on the accomplishments of African JA Company Program^© students, ages 15-19, during the 2009-2010 academic year. Currently impacting more than 360,000 young people a year globally, JA Company Program students start and run their own businesses, developing and marketing a product or service with help of a local business volunteer. Through qualification rounds, finalists ultimately are selected to showcase their business acumen before a panel of independent judges who evaluate each student company's annual report, business presentation, trade booth display and interview performance.

"The Africa Region JA Company of the Year Competition is an exciting opportunity for Junior Achievement students to demonstrate the teamwork, leadership and innovative thinking that will help them drive success in the business world," said Sean C. Rush, president and chief executive officer of JA Worldwide. "Through this competition, Junior Achievement and sponsor Barclays are enhancing the relevancy of education and igniting the spark in young people to experience and realize the opportunities and realities of work in a 21st-century global marketplace. As a stakeholder in the future, I am inspired and reassured by the passion and professionalism demonstrated by these young entrepreneurs."

About JA Worldwide^® (Junior Achievement)
Junior Achievement is the world's largest organization dedicated to inspiring and preparing young people to succeed in a global economy. Through a dedicated volunteer network, Junior Achievement provides in-school and after-school programs for students which focus on three key content areas: work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy. Today, 126 individual area operations reach more than four million students in the United States, with an additional 5.7 million students served by operations in 122 other countries worldwide. For more information, visit www.ja.org.

About Barclays
Barclays is a major global financial services provider engaged in retail and commercial banking, credit cards, investment banking, wealth management and investment management services, with an extensive international presence in Europe, the USA, Africa and Asia. The partnership with Junior Achievement forms part of Barclays five-year $150m flagship community investment program, Banking on Brighter Futures. The program supports 1,500 projects around the world using Barclays' financial skills and expertise to help people work towards financial independence and security. Banking on Brighter Futures was launched in 2007 as part of the bank's sustainability strategy. For further information about Barclays, please visit our website www.barclays.com.
 

# # #