Three teenagers from London have just been named as the European Youth Entrepreneurs of the Year 2012. They are Maliha Asad (16) Mark Kpatakpa (15) and Bethany Garraway (16). The three set up a company called Sole Sales Ltd which produces fashionable ladies footwear featuring detachable heels.
The competition is run by the Foróige Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship and the announcement was made in the past hour at the Science Gallery, Trinity College Dublin.
Young entrepreneurs from across Europe outlined their business plans to a panel of judges from some of Ireland's leading companies. 17-year-old Conor Murray from Blanchardstown in Dublin represented Ireland in this highly prestigious competition. Last April Conor was named as the All-Ireland Youth Entrepreneur of the Year 2012.
Reacting to the win, 16-year-old Bethany Garraway said:
"This is absolutely amazing. We are from an area of London where young people don't get many opportunities so this is just unreal. The other business ideas were great and very practical so it makes the win even more special to us. I've so many people I'd like to thank but I would especially like to thank Foróige for the incredible treatment that we have enjoyed since arriving in Ireland on Sunday.
"We think there is a niche in the market for our product because it will save women not just money but it will prevent them from getting sore feet. The idea is simple; the heel simply retracts and you go from having high heels to flat shoes in a matter of seconds."
ENDS
For further information please contact:
Cathy Gray, Foróige Media Officer
086 8075332
About Foróige:
Foróige is the leading and largest youth organisation in Ireland. The charity works with 64,000 young people and 5,500 adult volunteers annually, through a network of more than 600 youth clubs & cafés, 154 targeted projects and national programmes such as Citizenship, Entrepreneurship and Leadership. Foróige is doing wonderful work with young people across the length and breadth of the country and we really need your support - so if you believe in young people and would like to make a donation to the organisation you will find all the relevant details on our website: www.foroige.ie
Twitter.com/Foroige
Facebook.com/Foroige
YouTube.com/Foroigechannel
About the Foróige Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE):
As part of the Foróige NFTE programme students study all aspects of starting and successfully running a business including idea generation, goal setting, customer services, marketing, book keeping, presentation skills, communication skills and social responsibility. They also engage with suppliers and work with business mentors. The programme also helps young people to build self-confidence and interpersonal skills, increase their prospects for employment and foster career and college aspirations to encourage school completion.
