Kanye Kanye - by Vickie Crofts

Students of all ages around the Sheffield area have been working hard all year raising money through their social enterprise business ideas to help the community of Lesotho, in Southern Africa, in their battle against HIV/AIDS and poverty.

Students from four local secondary schools across Sheffield joined together with Sheffield Hallam University and Hallam Students' Union, to make Hallam Volunteerings' new project Kanyekanye a success.

Kanykanye has come about after a joint venture between Hallam Volunteering based at Hallam Students' Union and Sheffield Hallam Universities Enterprise Centre. Between all the schools they have raised a total of £2,387 for the Malealea Development Trust. Chaucer Enterprise and Business College raised over £900 and therefore won the trip to visit the beneficiary community in Lesotho. Alongside the winning school team, two Hallam Volunteers will go on the trip. They are Lara Smith, a fourth year International Business and German student, and Andrew Mitchell, also a fourth year Business Studies and Human Resources Management.

(Picture with there trophies) I caught up with the lucky volunteers for a chat:

Right guys, firstly congratulations on winning the winning the trip to Africa, How do you feel about going to Africa?
Lara Smith (LS)- Very excited, quite shocked but really looking forward to visiting the community out there and helping out on some of their projects.
Andrew Mitchell (AM) – I’m absolutely over the moon and shocked. I can't wait to go.

What do you expect form the trip?
LS- I am hoping to learn more about the community there and where the money is going, also to learn more about HIV/AIDS and Southern Africa itself. I also think it will be a good opportunity for the school team to learn more about these things as well.
AM- I expect probably a life changing experience, I think its going open my eyes to what it's like out there from not just the tourist parts but the Malealea community and where the work is focused. It will really sum up what Kanyekanye is about and what the project aims to do.

Highlight of the Project so far?
AM: So far I would probably say working with all the other people, in the business team and one memory I will never forget is stuffing the chocolate bags at Christmas with that wood-wool. Thinking I was going have some sort of asthma attack with all that dust that we created.
LS: I really enjoyed the Kanykanye project and have leaned and developed various skills within the project. We organised various tasks, one of which was a school disco at Christmas. I really enjoyed organising this with the school team and then actually going to the school disco and working together with the girls to make as much money as possible.

What skills have you gained and how will these help you in your future careers?
LS: I have learnt a lot of skills from the project, I think that I’ve definitely improved my communication skills and in an environment working with younger pupils, but also being able to improve my team work skills and delegation skills. Having these skills are very important in looking for a job as they are the key skills involved in every aspect of life.
AM: Business development, selling, marketing, big one is working in a small team.

How do you feel about all the injections that you got to have to have?
Am: Confused! Hopefully have enough without having an overdose to stop me bringing a strange disease back!
LS: I’ve already had a couple and have got a few more coming up. They weren’t too bad but are definitely worth it to go on such an amazing trip.

Should the Project continue?
AM: Yes absolutely, definitely 100 million percent and anyone that doesn't agree should be slapped!! The Project had its highs’ and lows, but what project doesn’t and when you're on a roll you just know you're making money for a good cause, at the same time as having lots of fun.
LS: I know that this is the first year the project had been run and I defiantly think that from a volunteer's point of view that it should be carried on next year and the years to come. It has been very successful in raising awareness and teaching pupils various skills and different enterprise skills, as well as given Hallam Volunteers a chance to develop different skills.

Any think else you both like to say?
AM: Other then I’m really lucky and can’t wait to go roll on Saturday 4th April!!!