YEBO! Empowers UKZN Students to Shape the Future
Bridging the aspirations of Youth Month and the ubuntu values of Mandela Month, the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) hosted a student-focused hackathon aimed at developing innovative solutions to societal challenges.
Hosted recently at the Howard College campus YEBO! – Youth Empowered for Business Opportunities – a five-day interdisciplinary hackathon that brought together 28 undergraduates from UKZN’s four Colleges. Working in multidisciplinary teams, students tackled five challenges facing South Africa: safety and security, the arts, leadership in an age of artificial intelligence (AI), public transport and sustainable water and food systems.
The hackathon responded to challenges facing young people in South Africa, including persistently high youth unemployment, inequality and other social pressures. Against this backdrop, YEBO! sought to equip students with skills to identify and create new opportunities.
While a university qualification can provide a foundation for employment, graduates also benefit from emotional intelligence, entrepreneurial thinking, adaptability, collaboration and the confidence to create opportunities. YEBO! was designed to help students develop these capabilities.
Yebo means yes in isiZulu, while YEBO! is an acronym for Youth Empowered for Business Opportunities. Timed to bridge the spirit of Youth Month with the values of Mandela Month, the hackathon posed a broader question: “How do universities deliberately and practically cultivate entrepreneurial minds, multidisciplinary collaboration and purpose-driven innovation?”
Students were supported by a cross-College team comprising Dr Justin Pringle (Civil Engineering), Ms Debbie Mari (Music), Dr Joy Adu (Civil Engineering), Professor Cecile Proches (Graduate School of Business and Leadership) and Dr Rudi Kimmie (Aerotropolis Institute Africa). Industry mentors Mr Geoff Tooley, Mr Sherwyn Singh, Ms Khanyi Dumakude, Mr Nkululeko Mthembu and Mr Zyven Rambakus also guided the teams as they developed solutions to the challenges.
The organisers envision YEBO! extending beyond the hackathon. “We want students to leave the University system as scholars, not graduates,” Pringle said. “They must be scholars who can tackle systemic global challenges, because they have the confidence, the skills and the power to do it.”
The programme emphasised that solving real-world problems requires more than technical knowledge. Participants developed communication, multidisciplinary teamwork, empathy and leadership skills while learning to transform ideas into persuasive business solutions. The experience also highlighted the potential value of teaching methods such as problem-based learning linked to real-world challenges, together with a stronger focus on business incubation.
Funded by the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning, led by Professor Thabo Msibi, YEBO! 2026 provided students with an opportunity to engage in creative problem-solving and test potential solutions with mentors.
Addressing unemployment in South Africa requires a long-term strategy that develops job readiness and entrepreneurial skills. With this goal, YEBO! aims to serve as a foundation for a business incubation hub at UKZN. The proposed YEBO! Hub would support participants in developing entrepreneurial concepts into potential start-ups while building practical skills in financial literacy, communication, digital technologies and venture creation. Mentors would guide participants through the process of developing ideas into viable enterprises.
As public institutions, universities educate future leaders, generate knowledge and contribute to public policy. Through initiatives such as YEBO!, UKZN can also support students in developing the skills and confidence needed to create employment opportunities and contribute to economic development.
The first hackathon showcased the ideas developed by UKZN students through multidisciplinary collaboration. With structured support and mentorship, participants moved beyond identifying challenges to developing potential solutions for their communities.
YEBO! reflects UKZN’s focus on developing students who can think critically, collaborate across disciplines, identify opportunities and respond to uncertainty. By combining multidisciplinary problem-solving, entrepreneurship and mentorship, the initiative aims to equip students with skills that extend beyond the classroom and contribute to South Africa’s future.
Words: NdabaOnline
Photograph: Supplied
