The Mosaic Enterprise Challenge heads to Pakistan

Building on the success of the Mosaic Enterprise Challenge in Jordan and Qatar, Mosaic is thrilled to announce that plans firmly under way for our award-winning programme to be delivered in schools across Pakistan following a high-level visit.

The Mosaic Enterprise Challenge, which in the UK is generously supported by the Apax Foundation and Nectar Trust, is an annual national competition for secondary school students across the UK, designed to develop and encourage their entrepreneurial skills.

Mosaic Board member and London Chairman Uzair Bawany joined Mosaic’s Managing Director, Jonathan Freeman, and Head of International, Debra Hay, on a visit to Karachi for a series of events with Seed Ventures, Mosaic’s delivery partners for the Challenge in Pakistan.  The visit included a high-level roundtable event for senior stakeholders hosted by the Deputy High Commissioner, a dinner for over 100 local supporters and a series of prominent media appearances, as well as visits to local schools already committed to participating in the Challenge.  As a result of this engagement, Zafa Pharmaceuticals confirmed its support for 50% of the overall funding of the programme over the next three years.

Seed Ventures, a social enterprise supporting enterprise start-ups, is run by local social entrepreneurs Faraz Khan and Khusro Ansari.  Faraz knows Mosaic and the Enterprise Challenge well as he was one of the very first mentors on the Challenge when it was launched in the UK, supporting teams to the national finals.  Faraz has always had an ambition to bring the Challenge to his native Pakistan and, after having successfully grown Seed Ventures to its current impressive scale, approached Mosaic about the opportunity. Thanks to overwhelming local support from some of Pakistan’s leading business leaders and corporate organisations, this dream is now set to become a reality.

Faraz, speaking about the developments, said: “It is an absolute privilege and honour to bring Mosaic to Pakistan  and on behalf of Seed Ventures I would like to thank team Mosaic and Jonathan for making us their local partners. My journey with Mosaic started with mentoring a team of young kids in the UK, which has now lead to this initiative that has the potential to  impact and transform millions of lives across Pakistan.

The first three years are the most crucial and critical which would make the foundation of this fantastic initiative and we look forward to changing mind sets and lives of young kids in Pakistan. I would also like to mention the support of Mr. John Tucknot the British Deputy High Commissioner in Karachi, Pakistan; the team at Earnst & Young, Mr Mustafa Khandwala and Mr Asim;  and last but by no means least Mr Jawad Khan of Zafa pharmaceuticals for supporting Mosaic from the outset.”

With Mosaic’s support, Seed Ventures plan to deliver the Enterprise Challenge in the coming year to 300 students in at least 20 schools in Pakistan.  Importantly, Seed Ventures are determined that the Challenge should support the full diversity of Pakistan’s communities and has secured interest from schools not just in Karachi, but also Islamabad, Lahore, Quetta, Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan and Peshawar.  Seed Ventures has also secured an impressive degree of support from businesses prepared to promote the volunteer mentoring opportunities the Challenge offers.

Commenting on the visit, Jonathan Freeman said “Mosaic has always wanted to take the Enterprise Challenge to Pakistan.  I am therefore delighted that Faraz, one of our very first UK mentors on the Challenge, and his team will be our partners in this exciting new development.  The speed and quality at which Seed Ventures have put in place the arrangements to make a reality of this ambition is truly impressive.”

Jonathan Further  commented “Mosaic’s success has always been down to the incredible support we receive from those willing to invest in our vision.  It is so very heartening, therefore, that Zafa Pharmaceutical and their inspirational CEO, Jawad Khan, have committed the funding necessary to bring the Enterprise Challenge to Pakistan so quickly. Jawad’s backing is hugely appreciated.”