The MBA class at the UCT Graduate School of Business (GSB) recently raised R130 000 in just three weeks in order to build a house for Habitat for Humanity.

The remarkable feat was inspired by a challenge issued by GSB Senior Lecturer Jon Foster-Pedley as part of his MBA elective.

Foster-Pedley’s elective is called Strategy, Design and Creativity, and is a unique course that, as Foster-Pedley puts it, “aims to recover lost creativity”. The course, which includes both modular and full-time MBA students, began three years ago with a class of 15 students and has now increased to 60 in 2009.

“People tend to think of creativity as something separate or a special case – it’s not. Creativity exists within each and every one of us, we have just been taught to believe that our rational side is more important,” said Foster-Pedley.

“People also tend to think that business is about maths and numbers and reason when actually it is all about creativity and innovation.”

But it’s not just about creativity for Foster-Pedley; it’s also about connecting students to a bigger purpose.

The students are challenged to “do good” by coming up with ways to give back to society in whatever way they like, and this year’s students, both full-time and modular, did exceptionally well by coming up with unique ways to raise R1 500 each towards a Habitat for Humanity building project.

The build, which took place in the Mfuleni community of Cape Town, was completed this October after the students worked in teams doing shift work to help get the house built.

The students needed to raise R90 000 for the Habitat build, but exceeded their target by a whopping R40 000. The additional funds will go towards creating a social upliftment fund at the GSB, said Craig Friderichs, a student on the modular MBA and doctor at Groote Schuur Hospital.

“We were required to raise R1 500 each and then work as groups to make the build happen. It really showed us what is possible as individuals and groups when we fuse our creative energy with a powerful purpose,” said Friderichs, adding that the funds were raised through students’ organisations and through some novel student initiatives.

“The fact that we could raise the amount in just three weeks and exceed our targets by such a great margin amazed all of us – it was a remarkable learning experience.”