MTN Nigeria, file picture
by MTHULISI SIBANDA
JOHANNESBURG – MTN South Africa’s 8 000-strong workforce will in the next three weeks give their time, skills and resources to provide for those less fortunate.
The company is gearing up to kick off the 21 Days of Y’ello Care, the flagship staff volunteerism initiative takes place across the operation’s 22 markets in Africa and the Middle East, annually from June 1.
“We are looking forward to harnessing the power of the MTN brand by brightening the lives of those who are economically marginalized and making a positive difference in the communities we operate in,” said Jacqui O’Sullivan, Executive for Corporate Affairs at MTN SA.
“Through these initiatives, we seek to reduce the poverty gap and use the power of ICT to give hope to impoverished communities.”
Among the initiatives is the MTN half-marathon, which will kick-off the 21 Days of Y’ello Care on Saturday.
Almost 8 500 runners taking to the streets of Johannesburg to run 5km, 10km or 21km to raise money for the chosen beneficiaries.
All proceeds are used to further invest in ICT in education, transferring skills to learners.
The key beneficiary for 2018 is the Sizwile Special School for the Deaf located in Dobsonvillle, Soweto where MTN will donate a multimedia centre.
In addition, MTN will hand over a multi-media centre and also refurbish the Afrika Tikkun Youth Centre in Diepsloot, north of Johannesburg.
National and provincial government officials will preside over the handing over of the facilities.
The MTN SA Foundation has partnered with many additional South African corporates for the 2018 race.
In Kwa-Zulu Natal, MTN will hand over pairs of school shoes to Kwavulundlebe School of the Deaf in Umlazi, while in the Western Cape learners at Athlone School of the Blind will receive 300 pairs of school shoes.
21 Days of Y’ello Care activities are also planned in the Eastern Cape where MTN employees will install ablution facilities at Mzamomhle Special School and Luna Primary School. They will hand over 730 pairs of school shoes to the learners.
An additional 429 pairs of school shoes will be handed over to learners at Gengqe Senior Secondary and Primary School.
In the Free State and Northern Cape Provinces, 300 pairs of school shoes, winter gloves and scarfs will be donated to Tatello Special School and George Kekana Secure Care School respectively.
The 21 Days of Y’ello Care will close with a career day hosted at MTN’s head office in Johannesburg, where 150 youth from disadvantaged communities will be invited to a showcase of MTN’s entrepreneurial projects and offerings from its technology partners.
Partners include Huawei, Samsung, Microsoft, Mustek, Ericsson, Denel, the navy and air force.
O’Sullivan said having identified areas that needed help, MTN employees would be working hard during the 21 days to brighten the lives of those in the communities they come from.
“We hope that through this initiative we are able to positively impact the lives of all communities and learners involved, providing assistance where needed and exposing them to opportunities within the ICT sector,” O’Sullivan concluded.
– CAJ News
