PORT LOUIS, Mauritius, December 16, 2024 – Sunsip Irrigation Systems, a student startup from Archbishop Porter Girls High School in Ghana, has won the Boeing Sustainable Innovation Award at the 14^th Junior Achievement (JA) Africa Company of the Year competition in Mauritius. The Boeing award celebrates innovative business ideas that advance environmental stewardship and resource conservation.

The Ghanaian team of young women impressed judges with their solar-powered irrigation system, designed to address the inefficiencies of traditional, non-renewable energy-based irrigation methods.

Kuljit Ghata-Aura, president of Boeing Middle East, Africa, Türkiye, and Central Asia, commented: “It’s essential to engage and equip young people with the critical skills needed to develop solutions that help us build a more sustainable future. They are the leaders of tomorrow, and we are proud to support initiatives like JA Africa’s competition that benefit both local communities and the environment.”

The JA Africa Company of the Year competition has been running for 14 years as an impactful catalyst for empowering Africa’s youth through entrepreneurship. This year, the competition focused on sustainability and brought together 36 student entrepreneurs from nine African countries: Eswatini, Ghana, Mauritius, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Simi Nwogugu, president and CEO of Junior Achievement Africa, said: “Over the past four years, our partnership with Boeing has inspired over 5,000 young Africans to harness their potential and innovate for a sustainable future. This collaboration shows what is possible when we invest in the creativity and determination of Africa's youth, empowering them to lead the charge in building a better world for generations to come.”

In 2021, Boeing began supporting the Company of the Year and other JA Africa’s programs dedicated to sustainability, STEM, and entrepreneurship. Together, Boeing and JA Africa have implemented community initiatives in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Madagascar, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.

About Boeing

Boeing has been driving Africa’s aviation growth for over 75 years by investing in talent, fostering innovation, strengthening the industrial base, and championing market liberalization. With over 500 Boeing planes — nearly 70% of the regional market — African carriers rely on Boeing for connectivity. Boeing collaborates with suppliers in Ethiopia, Morocco, and South Africa, with partnerships valued at around $40 million. Since 2008, Boeing has invested $22 million in joint efforts with academia and non-profits to support systemic improvements in education and economic empowerment in Africa. Learn more at www.boeing.com

About Junior Achievement Africa

JA Africa is one of Africa’s largest and most impactful youth-serving NGOs. JA Africa’s mission is to prepare Africa’s youth for the future of jobs. Through the delivery of hands on, immersive learning in work readiness, financial health, entrepreneurship, sustainability, STEM, economics, citizenship, ethics, and more, we empower young people to grow their entrepreneurial ideas, hone their work skills, manage their earnings, and secure better lives for themselves, their families, and their communities. JA Africa has a presence in 23 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and reaches over one million youth each year. Learn more at www.ja-africa.org