Itumeleng Phoka is the new Enactus CUT President and the first Enactus CUT President from Welkom Campus.

Enactus-CUT welcomes Itumeleng Phoka as their newly appointed President for the 2023/24 financial year. Phoka takes the baton from previously successful presidents who took the organisation to global status.

Itumelengis a 2^nd year Public Management Student from CUT Welkom Campus and the first ever Enactus CUT president from Welkom Campus. Itumeleng hails from a small town of Kutloanong in Odendaalsrus, Matjhabeng.

He has been actively involved as one of the servants in various human development workshops and events that build characters, purpose, and redefines the mindsets of university students and local communities. 

Before becoming Enactus CUT President, Itumeleng was part of the CUT Student Academic Development as a Peer Assisted Learning Leader (peer mentor), Chairman of Unleashing The Hidden - a character building structure based in Welkom Campus, which seeks to make an impact on people’s lives through leadership workshops and charitable efforts. He is a class representative, CUT Wellness 2^nd Prince, and a top student in his class! 

His vision

For my term as president, I want to expand our ventures and empower our students to a point where they own sustainable enterprises, especially here on Welkom Campus and contribute to the local economic development of the region. This year's team from Welkom is the first successful and firm one. My priority is to strengthen and integrate both campuses as one team united for common goals. My mission is to maintain the high standards set by our previous leaders and keep the national championship title in CUT's name. It would be a blessing to see the team being crowned the Enactus world cup champions!

Phoka has been instrumental in leading the worm farming enterprise operations at Welkom Campus and presenting the project in different towns, Youth Empowerment Summits at churches, Community Development and Entrepreneurship workshops. He has also led a primary school project where learners were taught about the benefits of worm farming and Crop farming. 

What attracted you to Enactus CUT: I was drawn to the Enactus CUT presentation while attending the awards ceremony. Their commitment and involvement in entrepreneurship, community development, and travelling experiences caught my attention. I knew right there that I belong to this winning team. I have since joined the organisation and my journey has been fulfilling.

I have been committed and dedicated from the very first day. My hard work and commitment got me a chance to be exposed to the National Exposition and World Cup Competition, where I came across brilliant young and innovative minds and their respective projects and enterprises. It was my first time travelling abroad and if I were to put that whole experience in a bottle, I would really drink it every day, moreover, Netherlands is my world’s most favourite destination. This was truly a blessing. 

The Enactus Journey: I witnessed how powerful our minds are, how our dedication never goes unnoticed, and most importantly, how much we can achieve as a unit.  What excites me most about this journey is realising that I am not the only one who wants to change the world positively and leave a footprint. I also realised how amazing life is on the other side and how quick everything moves, from leisure to service delivery. I have seen how people enjoy the finest living experiences from their architecture, infrastructure and cuisines to advanced technology and innovation. I really thought to myself that the world is much bigger than what we are exposed to within our boarders, and we are not less human in the southern to also have the finest in life. 

The Enactus dream

I had big ideas on projects that I wanted to implement, but then I thought they were too big, until I saw how Enactus students in other countries implement far more bigger projects. This was an eye opener for me, that you could either start small or big and still win, and what is important is to ensure that you implement your concept and learn along the way. I am given a chance to put my crazy ideas out there, and yes, it is not going to be a walk in the park, but we have what it takes to succeed. I guarantee you that the same sentiments of making Enactus CUT a global champion are those that I think of and hold dear to my heart. I intend to further expand and strengthen Enactus CUT from where my previous presidents have left off, especially now that I am the first Enactus CUT President from Welkom Campus. I have a long way to go but I believe that with all the support from my team, our task will be much more adaptable. 

My daily dream is to improve the lives of ordinary citizens and align it with my enrolled university programme. I am grateful for this opportunity, and to those who support and invest in me, ke a leboha! We will continue to make CUT proud!