Student-run Enactus SAIT tackles Calgary’s challenges one project at a time

Photo credit: Enactus Canada

When Neha Kawa and Pavneet Cheema joined Enactus SAIT, the main goal was to make new friends. It was not “find critical solutions for small businesses,” “represent SAIT at a national level,” and it was almost definitely not “become co-presidents of Enactus SAIT.”

But the rest, as they say, is history.

Cheema, who had moved to Calgary from Winnipeg to complete her Bachelor of Business Administration — Human Resources, browsed Saitsa’s student clubs thinking, “I need to get into something that I can benefit from apart from my academics — and,” being in a new city, “I need to make some friends.”

The description for Enactus SAIT caught her eye. Enactus is a global non-profit network of students and partners who create sustainable community development projects that address social, economic and environmental issues. Cheema was drawn to the club’s focus on sustainability, mentioning that it followed the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

She met with the former president, who told Cheema about the club’s ongoing efforts. “I was blown away by the projects these guys were doing. I didn’t know that, as a student with this platform, I could actually benefit my communities.”

Kawa, a Bachelor of Business Administration — Management student, was similarly enticed by the club’s focus on giving back to the community.

“The former club president was going from class to class presenting on a project called Flora for Fauna. At the time, Enactus SAIT sold pollinator-friendly plants to help bees, and the profits were donated to Cobbs Exotic Animal Rescue.”

Between her passion for animals and her interest in volunteering, Kawa was in. Now, she says, “I cannot imagine myself being away from it, even for a second.”

Now in their fourth year as co-presidents of Enactus SAIT, Cheema and Kawa are looking to the year ahead.

Photo credit: Nicco, Enactus SAIT Marketing. Some of the Enactus SAIT 2024 members. From left to right: Alyssa Eunice Sagum, Cassidy ElDarazi, Yhana Cruz, Pavneet Cheema, Neha Kawa, Harindu Karunarathna, and Joy Ishigo.

Enactus SAIT’s roadmap

Enactus SAIT is heading towards another exciting year of projects and volunteerism.

The club will continue with two of its previously established projects — Case Clash and Upskill, both of which were semifinalists in the Enactus Canada National Exposition — and introduce several new projects.

Case Clash

With Cash Clash, Enactus SAIT supports Calgary high school students creating solutions for small businesses.

The high school students are challenged to come up with solutions that are feasible, scalable and sustainable to resolve a participating business’s operational challenge.

Enactus SAIT prepares the students to present their idea in a case competition. They deliver workshops on skills like developing PowerPoint presentations, public speaking, presenting case studies, conducting analyses and more. When their presentations are polished and ready, the high school students present their solutions to a panel of judges made up of SAIT School of Business faculty and the participating business.

The winning solution can then be implemented by the business.

“We give small businesses exposure and, at the same time, we’re bridging the gap between traditional education and real-world challenges for high school students, so they are prepared when they walk out of their classrooms,” Cheema explains.

What’s next? Case Clash is going global! Enactus SAIT has paired with SAIT’s International Centre to host two competitions in the upcoming year: one for Canadian high schools, and one for international high schools. The winning team will be awarded with SAIT scholarships, should they choose to attend in the future.

Upskill

Enactus SAIT’s other returning project, Upskill, works with Simon House Recovery Centre to help people in financially vulnerable situations and addictions recovery.

Based on Canadian Revenue Agency recommendations and materials from a SAIT faculty advisor, Enactus SAIT created a comprehensive financial literacy curriculum for clients of Simon House’s Outreach Support Program.

“We didn’t want to make something people can just Google or find online,” says Kawa. “The curriculum is about finding what participants can personally connect to. It’s not about financial literacy, but about financial wellness; we want these to be skills they can apply on a journey, not just use once and be done with.”

They presented their first workshop and the workbook in May 2024, just before the team took off to Nationals.

“It went really well. We got to meet with lots of clients at Simon House, and it was very interactive.”

The group will continue to grow their financial curriculum in the upcoming year when they launch a financial literacy program for high school students on the autism spectrum, which will help them file their taxes and gain other valuable skills.

Reduce, reuse, recycle

Enactus will also be stepping towards sustainable materials in the coming months. They’re working on two initiatives right now to reduce waste: one focused on lowering construction waste (while reducing environmental impact and cutting disposal costs for companies) and another on fabric waste, which will see used clothing converted into eco-friendly tote bags.

Stronger every semester

The Enactus SAIT team is made of more than 50 student members, divided into project teams and executive teams, such as human resources, research and development, marketing, finance, and events.

Neha says, “We’ve seen so much growth, not just in our project improvements, but in our team members. We hear a lot of graduating students say, ‘This helped me in my career,’ or ‘this is what I want to do after I graduate. I want to keep making this impact.’ That’s the best part of Enactus.”

On a more personal note, Cheema adds, “Enactus SAIT gave me a platform to grow. And it’s inspired me to help when I meet other shy students who have this passionate side to them but don't know how to show it. This such a great platform to help students like me become better versions of themselves.”

With classes having started and the next National Exposition coming up in May 2025 right here in Calgary, the team is already hard at work and brainstorming new projects to grow and inspire the community.

Interested in learning more?

The Enactus SAIT Open House takes place on Thursday, Oct. 17 from 6 – 8 pm. It’s is more than just an introduction — it’s a chance to see how the club fosters innovation and leadership, and offers students a platform to tackle global issues on a local scale.

RSVP now

Check out other SAIT Clubs

Enactus SAIT, along with many other clubs at SAIT, will be at Saitsa’s event ‘Tedi’s Clubhouse: Expo’ on Tuesday, Oct. 15. Discover a new passion and join a group on campus!

Expo details