After devoting much time helping to improve the economy and environment of many communities, Chulalongkorn University students were given a trophy last week under the Students In Free Enterprise project.
As the winner of an award at the SIFE Thailand National Exposition, the team will represent Thai students at the SIFE World Cup in Los Angeles from October 10 to 12.
SIFE is a global non-profit organisation that supports students at more than 1,500 universities in 40 countries. Students are empowered to teach ethical entrepreneurship and business conduct in their communities. SIFE students demonstrate practical managerial skills, have hands-on experience and are committed to sustainable business.
The first runner-up was Thammasat University, while Mahidol University was the second runner-up.
Altogether 83 Chulalongkorn students from various faculties spent more than a year passing on their acquired knowledge to locals.
"We've worked really hard. We've worked as a team to achieve this goal," said Peachaya Mukyangkoon, 20, head of the Chulalongkorn team.
"Despite different perspectives between locals and our team, as they have their own way of life and outlook, we made them realise the problems they are facing instead of just telling them they are having problems before proposing various solutions, and letting them choose those they preferred," she said.
Duangkamol Sriprasart, 20, a team member, said winning or losing was not important. Using this chance to give a helping hand to locals, as she and her friends intended, was more meaningful for them.
They undertook four projects to help local people. With the "Soil Booster" project, they taught residents in Nakhon Nayok, Suphan Buri, Nakhon Ratchasima, Chachoengsao and Phitsanulok to use earthworms to produce organic fertiliser. They expanded to a secondary school in Chachoengsao, teaching students to produce such fertiliser for sale along with educating them on business skills.
They instructed the Archa community in Chiang Rai's Doi Chang district on how to create the Coffee Coff Chang brand, design the company logo and publish an informative brochure to attract local and international customers under the Bean of Wealth project. They also educated the community on how to keep accounting books and develop a website.
The Green Roof project opened a website as a knowledge centre to encourage Bangkok residents to make their own heat-resistant "green roofs". The website presents all sorts of tricks and tips and a do-it-yourself video. Visitors who joined this campaign posted photos of their green roofs on the website to share with other visitors.
The Money Synthesis project helps reduce human errors in the manual accounting system used by the Pangpuay community bank in Ratchaburi. The students introduced user-friendly software to assist the bank in running its accounting function and operations.
Duangkamol said that with the knowledge they passed on to people in those communities, they could practise self-development and family development.
"Our university has a SIFE club open to students from every faculty to participate in to continue our work with locals. Seniors have trained younger students to run the operation and come up with more creative projects to help improve local people's quality of life," she said.
Duangkamol said her team had put in place role models in many communities. She hopes to expand the impact of such role models to as many communities as possible before presenting their work on the world stage.
The award for faculty adviser of the year went to Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy (CRMA) faculty adviser Capt Chatayan Wiphatthanananthakul. The Stock Exchange of Thailand's best financial literacy awards went to Chulalongkorn, Thammasat, CRMA and Mahidol University. The Spirit of SIFE Awards were given to Yala Islamic University, Hat Yai University, Kasetsart University's Si Racha campus and Nakhon Phanom University.
The national competition was held at Chulalongkorn's Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration.
SIFE was sponsored by Nation Multimedia Group, KPMG Phoomchai Group, the Stock Exchange of Thailand, Capital Market Academy 9 Alumni, HSBC Thailand and 11 agencies.