By Zamandulo Ntshalintshali
Enactus Eswatini has equipped eight university teams with critical presentation and entrepreneurial skills during a Competition Readiness Training held on Saturday, as part of preparations for the upcoming Enactus National Competitions.
The training aimed to strengthen students’ ability to deliver impactful project pitches and nurture them into future business leaders and job creators.
Hosted at the Southern Africa Nazarene University, Faculty of Health Sciences, the intensive training session offered the teams an opportunity to participate in a full dry-run of their presentations before a mock panel of judges.
The panel provided detailed and constructive feedback, empowering students to refine their messaging, delivery, and confidence ahead of the preliminaries.
What made the event truly impactful, however, were the insights shared by seasoned alumni who have walked the same journey.
Sifiso Magagula, an alumnus of the 2012 Enactus UNESWA Kwaluseni National Champion team, facilitated the training. Drawing from his own experience and years of helping Enactus teams with presentations, Magagula coached the students on critical soft skills that are often overlooked, including stage presence, understanding the judges’ scoring rubric, and managing high-pressure situations.
“It’s one thing to have a brilliant project. It’s another to communicate that brilliance under pressure,” he shared. “Learning how to stay composed and purposeful in those defining moments can make all the difference.”
Adding to the technical dimension of the training was Nkululeko Vilakati, a professional MC and IT expert, who worked closely with each team’s IT managers. He offered practical tips on how to optimize audiovisual elements for maximum impact and ensure perfect synchronization between the audiovisual and the presenters’ scripts.
The 8 participating teams are Eswatini College of Technology, Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, Ngwane Teachers Training College, SANU Faculty of Education, SANU Faculty of Health Sciences, SANU Faculty of Theology, UNESWA Luyengo Campus, and UNESWA Mbabane Campus.
Enactus Eswatini Country Leader, Sabelo Dlamini, closed the day with a powerful and sobering message that struck a chord with many.
“The sad reality is that there are just no jobs out there,” he said. “It is in your power to create employment for many emaSwati instead of seeking it when you complete your education. We will do everything in our power to connect you to the right stakeholders and help you build these innovations into thriving enterprises.”
Dlamini’s remarks were not only a rallying call to the students but a reflection of Enactus Eswatini’s broader vision: to empower youth with the tools, mentorship, and platforms they need to become job creators in a country where youth unemployment remains alarmingly high.
The Preliminary Round will see 8 teams battle it out on the 18th July at IDM in Matsapha to make it to the Top 4.
The top 4 will then subsequently compete in the Final Round on the 1st August at The George Hotel. Government, business, and academic leaders are expected to be part of this annual showcase of entrepreneurial action.
About Enactus Eswatini
Enactus Eswatini is a community of student, academic, and business leaders committed to using entrepreneurial action to transform lives and shape a better, more sustainable world. Through experiential learning platforms, students develop the skills and mindset needed to become socially responsible business leaders.