• Ford to invest more than $100,000 to launch Ford College Community Challenge (C3) program in four countries, supporting student-led projects that empower and improve communities
• Over the past eight years, Ford Motor Company Fund has provided more than $1.7 million globally to student teams awarded C3 grants
• Project runs in partnership with Ford Motor Company, the Ford Motor Company Fund and global non-profit organisation Enactus

DUBAI, UAE / PRETORIA, South Africa, 17 June 2015 – Ford Motor Company Fund is expanding the Ford College Community Challenge (C3) to Africa, offering universities in four countries the innovative global program that empowers students to improve their communities through sustainability projects.

Ford Fund, the philanthropic arm of Ford Motor Company, will invest more than $100,000 to launch the C3 program in Africa. Under the program, student-led community projects will be chosen in Ghana, Kenya, Morocco and South Africa that address critical local needs and create a more sustainable place to live and work.

“Education is a cornerstone of Ford Fund’s commitment to a better world,” said Jim Vella, president, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services. “Through programs like Ford C3, we are able to help accelerate educational innovation, and empower students to become transformative agents of change in their communities.” 

Introduction of the C3 program builds on Ford’s increasing community presence in the Middle East and Africa region.

“As we expand in Africa, we are delivering on our commitment to create a better world by improving the communities where we do business,” said Jim Benintende, president of Ford’s Middle East and Africa (MEA) region.

Ford is collaborating on the program with Enactus, a global NGO that brings together students, academic professionals and business leaders who are committed to using entrepreneurial action to improve lives.

As part of the C3 program, university students are required to take the leadership role in all aspects of their project, from design to implementation. Project scope is virtually unlimited, and innovation and creativity are actively encouraged. Potential areas of focus include alternative energy, environmental sustainability, agriculture, mobility, water conservation or economic development.

Over the past eight years, Ford Fund has provided more than $1.7 million to student teams awarded Ford College Community Challenge (C3) grants. In 2014, the C3 program expanded internationally for the first time, partnering with Enactus to include communities in Brazil and China. Ford Fund invests more than $8 million a year in education initiatives, one-third of its annual financial support

Enactus mobilizes 1 700+ university programs in 36 countries. An annual series of regional and national competitions provides a forum for teams to showcase the impact of their outreach efforts and to be evaluated by executives serving as judges. National champion teams advance to the prestigious Enactus World Cup to experience excellence in competition, collaboration and celebration. The 2015 Enactus World Cup will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa 14 – 16 October. To learn more about Enactus, visit www.enactus.org.