Adegbola Orobiyi-Rhodes | Contributor
Featured image: Team Empower, pictured above, are one of three Canadian teams among the finalists for the Hult Prize. | Courtesy of YFile
A team of Schulich students have the chance to scoop a $1 million investment prize to execute their vision for a better world.
Akash Sidhu, Joseph Truong, Amal Naufer and Vasiliki Belegrinis won the Hult Prize Regional Finals in Shanghai to become one of three Canadian teams among the six finalists.
The Hult Prize has been dubbed the “Nobel Prize for business schools,” as it seeks to bring students together from around the world to tackle global issues.
The theme of this year’s Hult Prize draws influence from current refugee crises and seeks to tackle the restoration of rights for people and societies who may be forced to become refugees due to war, politics, social injustices, economic pressures and climate change.
The York team’s pitch looks to provide stable and affordable internet for refugees so as to distribute information on education, employment and health care.
It is hoped that this may help lift them out of poverty and enable them to reach their full potential as global citizens.
The team conducted interviews with refugees through York’s Centre for Refugee Studies, asking what dignity means to them and what could be done to make them feel empowered.
Belegrinis highlights that although low phone battery and slow Wi-Fi may seem like major inconveniences, for refugees it may represent the difference between life and death.
“We were shocked to know that up to 40 per cent of refugees’ disposable income is spent on staying connected, demonstrating a real need for affordable and reliable connectivity,” she said.
Regional finals of the Hult Prize took place in Shanghai, London, Dubai, Boston and San Francisco, making it the world’s largest student social enterprise competition in the world.
“Our strength lies in our team. We all have a shared vision and all of us come from such diverse backgrounds,” says Sidhu.
“It’s been such an amazing experience going through the Hult Prize journey […] We can’t wait for the summer and the opportunity that awaits us to really change the lives of refugees around the world,” said Naufer.
As one of the six finalists, the team will spend the summer in the United States working in the Hult Prize Accelerator, a six-week incubator training program, and will begin piloting their project in Africa.
“This means a lot to us. We absolutely want to win. If we use the money effectively, we can make a difference in so many lives,” said Truong.
The winner of the $1 million investment will be announced in September at the global finals.
With files from Jonny Chard
