Dear Students 

Soapbox South Africa, a behavioural design agency focused on advancing social impact across the continent. I’d love to introduce you to the SDG-Challenge South Africa, an eight-week programme designed to bring together university students and leading companies to co-create solutions aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Applications for the 2026 edition are now open, and we’d be delighted to see students from the University of KwaZulu-Natal represented this year! The Challenge features university teams, each partnered with a leading company to solve a real-world sustainability challenge. Previous partners have included organisations such as Standard Bank, Ivanhoe Mines, MetPac-SA, and Valterra Platinum.

Over eight weeks, students work in multidisciplinary teams, taking part in virtual workshops, mentorship sessions, and design sprints — culminating in a live Grand Finale, where they present their solutions to a panel of industry experts and peers. The team with the most impactful solution will be crowned the winner!

This opportunity is open to all African students from second year to PhD level, across all disciplines.

Benefits for participating students include:

• Working on a live, impactful business case

• Gaining real-world consulting experience

• Building connections with like-minded peers and potential employers

• Receiving a LinkedIn certificate recognising participation

See the one-pager poster attached and the aftermovie from the 2025 edition to give a glimpse into the experience.

Students can apply via the link and follow us on social media @sdg_challenge_sa for updates. Applications close Friday, 31 July 2026.

Regards

Edista Ngubane x3072

Career Development Officer 

Student Support Services