Members of the Enactus Team from Montemorelos University screamed and jumped for joy at the Citibank Banamex Convention Center when they heard their project had won first place during this year’s Enactus national competition held in Mexico City, Mexico, June 24-25, 2024. This is the first time that the Montemorelos Enactus team has grabbed the top spot in the Nex Gen Leaders category, which rewards projects and initiatives with less than a year of being developed, to improve the community.

Isaac Flores, academic advisor for the Montemorelos team, said,

This triumph stands out not only for the talent and dedication of the students, but also for the profound social and environmental impact of their innovative project.

Enactus is a global non-profit organization which spans six continents and promotes the development of sustainable business models that address the world’s economic, social, and environmental challenges.

The team’s “NAMOCA” project, which was developed by the students during the 2023-2024 school year, focused on improving oral health and reducing plastic pollution through the production of natural dental hygiene products in La Estrella Community in Linares, Nuevo León, Mexico.

The World Health Organization (WHO) in 2020 revealed that 45% of the world’s population faces an oral health problem, with cavities being the most prevalent. The outlook for Mexico is similar. According to the Epidemiological Surveillance System, seven out of ten children and adolescents have cavities; seven out of ten adults have periodontal disease; and four out of ten older people do not have a functional mouth that allows them to speak and eat properly.

Dariana Treviño, captain of Monteremolos University’s Enactus Team and international business major, said the team wanted to respond to the pressing problem in the country by establishing educational sessions and creating sustainable products that not only improve oral health, but also combat plastic pollution.

NAMOCA’s success is due to its scalability and its ability to generate a significant impact, explained Flores. “Using organic ingredients, NAMOCA products, such as waterless oral hygiene tablets, offers an innovative and sustainable solution to critical health and environmental problems,” he said.  Additionally, the project encourages the integration of women in the production chain, empowering them and generating economic opportunities.

Flores highlighted the commitment that Montemorelos University has for innovation and social entrepreneurship and celebrated this achievement as a testimony to the transformative potential of university education in creating positive and sustainable change in communities. “The direct benefit to students is that they can developing other skills and the possibility of generating important connections,” said Flores.

Montemorelos University’s Enactus Team is made up students from the business school, dental program, engineering program, and communication. The team members include Dariana Treviño, Daniel Chávez, Gilberto Corona, Brenda Mendoza, Pablo Roblero, César Rodríguez, Zimry Hernández, Tamara Espinosa, Wilken Núñez, Rubén Hernández and Rebeca González.

Their dedication and creativity have been key to the development and success of NAMOCA, demonstrating that young entrepreneurs can transform their communities in a significant and scalable way,” said Flores.

By winning first place in the Next Gen Leaders category, the team is invited to participate as part of the Mexican delegation in the Enactus World Cup to be held in Kazakhstan from October 2-4, 2024, Flores said.

Montemorelos University has participated in Enactus since 2011, and was a finalist in 2013, 2014 and 2015 competitions.

Brenda Cerón contributed to this article.

The original article was published on the Inter-American Division website.