The Courage to Discover: Borders Beyond’s Journey to Winning the People’s Choice Award at KIWI Challenge 2022

Darlene sat at her desk, staring at her laptop screen in disbelief. She had just received an email announcing that her team, Borders Beyond, had won 1st place in the People’s Choice Award at the KIWI Challenge 2022. She couldn’t contain her excitement as she called up her teammates to share the good news.

Borders Beyond consisted of four students from BINUS SCHOOL Serpong, Darlene 11C, Caca 11D, Isabel 11C, and Rangga 11D. 

They had been working hard for six weeks intensively, juggling between school demands, studying for midterm exams, club events, and their passion for discovering sustainable business and entrepreneurship in the tourism industry.

The KIWI Challenge 2022 was an annual student entrepreneurship competition for Indonesian students arranged by Education New Zealand Indonesia. The theme for this year’s competition was “Sustainable Business and Entrepreneurship in the Tourism Industry.” Participants were grouped into teams of 3-5 people to represent their school.

Borders Beyond had faced their own challenges during the competition. They had to balance their time between school, extracurricular activities, and the competition. The competition was held in the middle of their mid-semester exams, which added to the pressure.

Despite the challenges, Borders Beyond persevered. They worked tirelessly to develop their business plan, which focused on sustainable tourism practices in Indonesia with the aim is to introduce a simpler process for planning travel that is accessible to all, regardless of human barriers and country borders. Their plan impressed the judges and earned them the People’s Choice Award.

Darlene couldn’t help but feel grateful for her team’s hard work and determination. She was especially thankful for her teammates and her family who had supported her throughout the competition. She was excited to see where their success would take them in the future.

The KIWI Challenge 2022 proved to be a transformative event for Borders Beyond, leaving an indelible impact on their lives. Their gratitude towards BINUS SCHOOL Serpong knows no bounds, as it was their school’s unwavering support that helped them discover new horizons and secure the exposure they needed to win the coveted People’s Choice Award organized by Education New Zealand Indonesia.

Darlene’s message to those who are considering joining the KIWI Challenge in the future was simple: “Thank you so much for all the support in the People’s Choice Award, and I hope you guys are more inspired to join the KIWI Challenge in the future. It’s an experience you won’t regret.”