2026 AECI Future Leaders Challenge – Winners revealed
The winning team for the 2026 AECI Future Leaders Challenge has been announced, revealing the top performer among over 500 teams from across the country.
Newsday was invited to attend the award ceremony at the Sandton Hotel and meet the top ten finalists as well as the winning team.
The theme for this year’s challenge was ‘Catalyst for Change’, with teams developing solutions to the needs of their local schools or communities.
The top ten finalists delivered projects focused on issues such as water access, school supplies, and school attendance.
The winning team for this year’s challenge was Gen Drive from Mahlasedi High School in Gauteng, which focused on supplying school shoes to students in need.
“Seldom is great achievement the work of a single individual; it is about teamwork and bringing out the best in others,” said Alan Dickson, Group CEO and Executive Director of AECI.
“Measure your success not only by what you achieve for yourself, but by what you make possible for others.”
“Leadership is not defined by a title; it is defined by your actions, choices, and impact.”
The Future Leaders Challenge
The AECI’s Future Leaders Challenge was started as a part of AECI’s Centenary Legacy programme, which focused on developing young leaders in the communities where it operated.
The Challenge was designed to assess how learners were applying the skills they learnt from the programme.
To implement it, the AECI partnered with Primestars, a South African youth development organisation which works with the public and private sectors to deliver scalable programmes addressing critical education, skills, and youth development issues.
“The work we do is to support as many young people as possible so they can leave school, become meaningful contributors to the economy, and treat their background as a reference point rather than a limitation,” said Nkosinathi Moshoana, Primestars CEO.
“Through this initiative, we equip them to become the servant, ethical, and moral leaders needed to turn South Africa, the continent, and the world around.”
Rewards
The top ten Future Leader Challenge teams received several rewards for their efforts, including funding from Trust Blu Foundation and Cell C, tablets from HONOR, and laptops from 36ONE Asset Management.
Teams will receive further support through bursaries and certificates from Richfield, bursary opportunities from CHIETA, and certificates from Rosebank College.
This will ensure that every team and its members will have the means and opportunity to continue their academic journey and further uplift their community.
Click here to learn more about the AECI Future Leaders Challenge.
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