The Junior Achievement Young Enterprise Malta Foundation (formerly known as Young Enterprise) is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a gala dinner at the InterContinental Malta on 6 December at 7.30pm. All JAYE alumni, mentors, teachers, stakeholders and friends are invited to attend this event, to commemorate the achievements of the past three decades and to kick-start those of the future.
Among the former alumni now making her mark is Martina Zammit. Together with Rachel Cachia, Martina is the founder of VSQUARED, a leading creative hub for video storytelling. This women-led company brought a breath of fresh air to the relatively conservative Maltese media environment. Today VSQUARED employs more than 15 people and continues to grow at a steady pace.
Martina is also the producer and co-presenter of Gadgets, the only technology programme on Maltese TV. For the past 10 years, Gadgets has been highlighting the latest technologies and innovations in Malta and the world, in a fun, relatable and entertaining manner. It is well-loved by the public and, in 2017, was awarded the ‘Best Lifestyle Programme’ at the Malta TV Awards.
Martina also co-hosts a popular Breakfast Radio show, The Morning Vibe on VIBE FM – the perfect outlet for her bubbly personality. Her academic background consists of a B. Hons Communications degree from the University of Malta and she also studied at the IULM University of Milan.
Martina’s JAYE experience occurred in the 1999-2000 academic year, when she and some fellow 16-year-olds came together and formed a company, Simply Complicated. “Our product was a laundry basket but with a difference,” Martina explains. “We shaped these laundry baskets into basketball nets and called them the Laundry Dunk. The point was to make clearing and putting away laundry fun. They were designed with popular cartoon characters such as the Tasmanian Devil, Tweety Bird and Mickey Mouse.
“We faced many struggles,” she recalls of her experience. “A team of 20 dwindled down to 10; the managing director was changed three times; and we faced financial problems. However, somehow, together we pulled through and we were adamant to meet our delivery deadlines. It worked, thanks to our energy, drive, and pure ambition.” The struggles and the hardships paid off – the Simply Complicated Team was awarded the John Harper award. “It was the first year that this award was given and it was an honour to receive it,” adds Martina.
The JAYE 30th anniversary event will honour the hard-working participants of the past 30 years, many of whom have gone on to become leading players in some of Malta’s most successful businesses. And undoubtedly, their JAYE experience was instrumental in launching and establishing their careers.
Martina agrees wholeheartedly. “After 15 years of being cushioned and protected by school, family and friends, Young Enterprise prepared us for the real world…” she opines. “We were put to the test and it definitely was a ‘Learning by Doing’ experience. And I can say hand-on-heart that the lessons I learned during my Young Enterprise project served me exceptionally well when I was setting up a business of my own.”
Martina is planning to attend the 30th anniversary celebrations; and is hoping to get a table together with her old friends and teammates. “It will be great to unite with past and present achievers and reminisce on the great memories and successes Young Enterprise has given us,” she enthuses.
“This is an opportunity for us Young Achievers to thank each and every person that has been involved across the past 30 years; every single advisor, teacher, fellow achiever, director and member of staff. Let’s promote the message out there that entrepreneurial skills and learning teamwork at a young age is just as important as any other qualification you may earn over time.”
The JAYE Malta 30th Anniversary Celebration will be held at InterContinental Malta on 6 December at 7.30pm. For more information and tickets, contact info@jayemalta.org or follow @jayemalta on Facebook.
