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MTN Uganda in partnership with SIMFY, the developers of ayoba, has today launched a dynamic campaign dubbed ‘Life inside ayoba’ that will see ayoba users sending MTN MoMo free to fellow ayoba users for a limited period.

Introduced to the Ugandan market last year, ayoba, the African superApp, is the first ever instant messaging app that allows its users the liberty of sending cash digitally in-app while chatting, allowing them to seamlessly transact without having to drop their conversations.

The ‘Life inside ayoba’ campaign will enable all the ayoba users to send MTN Mobile Money for free in-app for a limited period while bringing together all the unique and exciting features of the ‘SuperApp’ including chat, voice and video calling, content sharing, music and playlists, gaming among others.

While launching the ‘Life inside ayoba’ campaign, Olivier Prentout, the Head of Customer Marketing for ayoba said that the App would appeal to many consumers as it provides digital solutions to the day-to-day life needs of the consumer in a practical yet affordable way.

“In building the ‘Life inside ayoba’ campaign we looked at what unites our African users.  With Ayoba, users can find everything they need in our all-in-one app.  This approach has brought us a textured and innovative campaign, and we are very proud of it. We are excited to launch the campaign with the full support of MTN” Prentout said, noting that app has been lauded for its unique and exciting practicality that it offers its users all they need in a single app that is available on both Android and iOS devices.

According to Prentout, 2021 has particularly been a fast-paced year for ayoba as the messaging app recently celebrated its second year of operation in May 2021. As of July 2021, ayoba had recorded 8 million monthly active users across the MTN Group with 400,000 active ayoba users in Uganda. Ayoba recently received the award for Best OTT Brand of the Year at the Marketing World Awards 2021.  This adds to the 2020 win for ayoba at the Africa Digital Award for Best Mobile Application in November 2020.

Susan Kayemba, the MTN Uganda Digital Services Senior Manager said that as an instant messaging App, ayoba underscores the goal of bringing more people into the digital world by providing them with affordable and simplified, yet inclusive and functional digital communication services.

“The ayoba app is perfect for the Ugandan market. It is vibrant and relevant and will appeal to everyone especially the youth.  Most importantly, ayoba is an all-in-one app that gives you chat and call options, music, games, news, sports and much more information at no data cost in addition to sending MTN MoMo free of charge using ayoba. We urge our customers to seize the Life inside ayoba campaign and relish the transformational all-in-one App that is ayoba” Kayemba said.

According to Kayemba, although ayoba can be used by anybody across all the networks, MTN customers are automatically allocated free data to use ayoba features.  Free data allocations can be used for all activities available in the app – including messaging, browsing, gaming, and listening to music, and customers can also download the app data free at www.ayoba.me. However, voice and video calls are excluded from the free data provisions.

As the ayoba platform continues to grow it supports 22 languages spoken across our markets while allowing users to safely send and receive encrypted messages, make voice, and video calls, share photos, videos and digital files. Users can access both entertaining and educative content available through 150 curated channels aimed at entertaining, educating, and empowering communities, as well as access to 200 games and stream free music from a wide selection of playlists.

Ayoba users now have access to a range of Micro-Apps ranging from Telehealth, live streaming services, and high-quality short videos, all available within the app. Micro-Apps such as FakeNews Checker allow subscribers to verify information and news while Survey54 allows people to get involved in surveys while earning some revenue. Other Micro Apps we are excited about include Live Scores for live football updates, live and on demand sports streaming and so much more.

To send Mobile Money for free using the ayoba app; go to chats and select the person you want to chat with. Select the attachment icon and then select the money icon. Go ahead and select Send MoMo and follow prompts. Enter the amount and reason. You Will be prompted to enter MoMo pin. The transaction will be completed, and you will receive an SMS notification.

Ayoba comes with an in-app assistant called ‘Aya’ to guide new users on how to use an instant messaging app. Aya appears automatically in everyone’s chats and can run a variety of interactive tutorials for key features within ayoba.

MTN Uganda Limited is pleased to announce the opening of its initial public offer (IPO) of 20% of its ordinary shares, following approvals by the Capital Markets Authority of Uganda (CMA) and the Uganda Securities Exchange (USE).

The secondary sale of 4.4 billion shares by the MTN Group will be at an offer price of UGX200 per share. The offer opens today, Monday 11 October 2021, and will close on Monday 22 November 2021. MTN Group currently holds 96% of MTN Uganda.

“With the opening of the IPO we are one step closer to our goal of broad ownership of our business across the Ugandan population,” said MTN Uganda Chief Executive Officer Wim Vanhelleputte. “Our m-IPO initiative is the country’s first paper-free IPO platform aimed at retail investors, in partnership with the USE, and will help position Uganda at the forefront of digitising the capital markets for Africa,” he added.

Yolanda Cuba, MTN Group Vice President for Southern and East Africa, said the IPO would give Ugandans an opportunity to participate in the ownership of their country’s leading mobile operator and, in doing so, help deepen Uganda’s capital markets.

“Today’s IPO is very clearly aligned with our Ambition 2025 strategic intent of leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress,” she said.

The offer aims to facilitate the broadest possible shareholder base in Uganda, with Ugandan Retail Investors making Applications for Offer Shares of an aggregate minimum value of UGX 5 million to be allocated the full number of Offer Shares for that minimum value applied for. A unique digital channel will be available to retail investors for IPO subscription: the m-IPO portal, accessible via USSD and via the MyMTN App. Traditional payment channels will also be available across Uganda at Stanbic Bank, Absa Bank and Standard Chartered Bank branches and authorized selling agents.

The IPO includes a broad share incentive scheme and Ugandan retail investors in particular using the m-IPO channel are eligible to receive 10 additional incentive shares for every 100 shares applied for and allocated in the IPO.

Following the successful completion of the offer, the company will list its entire ordinary share capital on the Main Investment Market Segment of the USE. This will meet the requirements of MTN Uganda’s licence, which require its listing by end-June 2022.

 

 

MTN Uganda started operating in 1998. In the first half of 2021, it had 14.9 million subscribers, 8.6 million Mobile Money users and 4.7 million active data users.

The dates noted in this announcement may be subject to change.

 

About MTN Uganda

MTN Uganda is a leading telecoms company in Uganda with a primary objective of carrying on the business of a national operator of a telecommunications network pursuant to the NTO licence granted by the UCC. Among our offerings are network services, digital and financial technology services, interconnect and roaming, sale of mobile devices and MTN Mobile Money (which is conducted through subsidiary MTN Mobile Money Uganda Limited). MTN has a presence in all 134 districts of Uganda. Our services are delivered through a network of 119 077 Mobile Money agents, 200 service stores and 13 main distributors. At end-June 2021, MTN Uganda had

14.9 million subscribers, 8.6 million MoMo users and 4.7 million active data users.

For more information, please contact:

Rhona Arinaitwe

Senior Manager Corporate communication Rhona.Arinaitwe@mtn.com

 

MTN Uganda is pleased to announce our intention to proceed with an initial public offer (IPO) and subsequently list on the Uganda Securities Exchange (USE).  This follows the requisite approval by the Capital Markets Authority and Uganda Securities Exchange for MTN Group to sell 20% of its shareholding in MTN Uganda to the public. MTN Group owns 96% of MTN Uganda.

The listing is in line with the Group’s strategic priority to create shared value, partly through ensuring broad-based ownership in its operating subsidiaries. It is also in line with the provisions of MTN Uganda’s NTO licence, which require its listing by end-June 2022.

“The intention to float announcement is a major step towards delivering on our plan to list on the USE,” said Charles Mbire, Chairperson of the Board of Directors, MTN Uganda. “It is a reaffirmation of our long-term commitment to expand investment opportunities for Ugandans and we look forward to continuing our engagement with the CMA and USE to take forward the IPO and the listing.”

MTN Group Vice President for Southern and East Africa Yolanda Cuba called the planned listing a milestone: “Over the last 23 years, the people of Uganda have embraced MTN as their own and given us the legitimacy to operate throughout this country. We are reciprocating by inviting Ugandans to share in the ownership of the success that we have built together.”

In 1998, licence in hand, MTN Uganda commenced the rollout of our infrastructure and services. We provided affordable access to the people through a widespread voice and data network, investing UGX3.5 trillion in infrastructure development across the 134 districts of Uganda, both rural and urban. To facilitate universal access, we continue to contribute 2% of our gross annual revenue to the Uganda Communication Commission.

Over the years, MTN Uganda has prioritised the expansion of rural coverage. We currently cover 97% of the country’s population and have over 6,000km of fibre connectivity to provide the voice and data bandwidth that connects more than 15 million subscribers not only within the country but also across the world.

The growth in mobile penetration in Uganda from 0.27% in 1998 to 67% as of March 2021 is proof of MTN’s contribution to democratise mobile telephony. The fruits of this are evident in the widespread adoption of key technology platforms powered by high-speed connectivity, which enable the creation, distribution, and consumption of a wide range of digital services.

MTN Mobile Money (MoMo) has also revolutionised the financial landscape. Formal financial inclusion has nearly doubled from 28% in 2009 when MoMo was introduced in Uganda to 58% as of 2018.

MTN Uganda contributes an annual average of approximately UGX700 billion to the government treasury through taxes paid on our own account and as a withholding agent of government, making us the largest taxpayer in Uganda for the past decade.

We have over 1,000 direct employees and employ another 150,000 indirectly. Through our widespread distribution network, we provide a livelihood to more than 500,000 people, making MTN one of the largest employers in the country.

Ends.

 

About MTN Uganda

MTN Uganda is a leading telecommunications company in Uganda with a primary objective of carrying on the business of a national operator of a telecommunications network pursuant to the NTO licence granted by the Uganda Communications Commission. Among our offerings are network services, digital and financial technology services, interconnect and roaming, sale of mobile devices and MTN Mobile Money (which is conducted through subsidiary MTN Mobile Money Uganda Limited). MTN has a presence in all 134 districts of Uganda. Our services are delivered through a network of approximately 145,000 active mobile money agents, 200 service stores and 14 main distributors. At end-June 2021, MTN Uganda had 14.9 million subscribers, 8.6 million MoMo users and 4.7 million active data users.

 

For more information, please contact:

Rhona Arinaitwe                                                                     

Senior Manager Corporate Communications and Public Relations

Rhona.Arinaitwe@mtn.com

MTN Uganda Limited

 

MTN Uganda’s Youth platform, MTN Pulse has today entered a partnership with FUZU the leading online Job and career portal in East Africa. This follows MTN Pulse’s vision of empowering the youth to realize their full potential as the vanguards of the future.

In this partnership, MTN Pulse will work with FUZU to support the MTN Pulsers with career guidance, job searching insights and the relevant training as a way of supporting them to identify and nurture successful careers.

Under this partnership, MTN Pulsers will get access to a customized fuzu platform with 400 FUZU points which will enable them to get discounts on the array of premium services offered by FUZU including personalized career coaching sessions with FUZU’s professional career coaches who give a holistic support on preparing for the right career opportunities and a professionally curated online curriculum vitae (CV) that improves the candidate’s chances of securing the job interview.

The MTN Pulsers who apply for jobs through FUZU can also redeem their Fuzu points for Instant Feedback on job applications to see how their profile   compares with the employers’ requirements and top candidates, giving them an opportunity for learning and development using the FUZU points. Furthermore, they will be able to access FUZU Learn which entails professional courses created by FUZU and its learning partners such as Udemy.

While launching the partnership, Hellen Kirungi, MTN Uganda’s Youth Segment Manager said that MTN Pulse had partnered with FUZU to further support the youths in their career journey through empowering them with the right skill sets for their careers to take-off. Youth empowerment is one of the pillars upon which MTN Pulse is hinged.

“MTN Pulse is an aspirational brand for our Ugandan youth. And just like them, the brand is about excitement, fun, attitude, and ambition. Our partnership with FUZU solidifies our commitment to support their ambitions and help them secure a meaningful future that is productive, secure and successful,” Kirungi said.

Alvin Katto, Fuzu’s Country Manager in Uganda said that the partnership with MTN Pulse signifies a huge step forward in achieving Fuzu’s mission of preparing people for Success in Uganda.

“Since our launch in Uganda in 2018, Fuzu has supported thousands of people to get access to career guidance, growth opportunities and support to be able to achieve their career goals and have meaningful careers. The partnership with MTN Pulse provides us with a platform to enable even more people, specifically the youth, to have access to these resources, which we firmly believe will have exponential positive effects on the growth of the country.”

Making job hunting and career growth easier for the youth with the MTN Pulse-FUZU partnership

MTN Pulsers will register for this through the Pulse App under careers and will be redirected to the registration. The link to FUZU https://www.fuzu.com/signup/mtn-pulse will be zero rated to allow pulsers access to the rich and insightful career-related content from FUZU and to enable them keep up with the career dynamics as they find their footing in the world of work. MTN is keen on empowering the youth to take control of their lives through extending to them specially tailored offers such as this offer from FUZU that the youth need in order to get ahead in life.

The partnership between MTN Pulse and FUZU is but one of the many deals that MTN has secured for its youth segment customers. In addition to offering them discounted MTN products and services, the youth on MTN Pulse automatically qualify for discounts and freebies with various MTN Pulse partners. Go to https://www.mtn.co.ug/pulse/offers to get the best deals from the leading glam, fashion and eating joints around town courtesy of MTN Pulse.

According to Kirungi, it is easy for youth to become MTN Pulsers; All they have to do is download the MTN Pulse App available on both google play and iOS app stores and take over the world. The MTN Pulse app is an interactive platform where everything about the Pulse Nation lives including the funkiest content and offers from MTN Uganda and its Pulse partners. You can also learn more about the Pulse Nation on the MTN Pulse microsite.

The uncertainty of the future of the education sector has left many children camped at home, but for twenty-year-old Brian Mawerere, music is his go to.

The MTN Foundation Youth Skilling program is his stepping stone.

Mawerere alias Welleh Beats is one of the participants in the MTN Foundation Youth Skilling program, a partnership between MTN Foundation and Ubunifu systems created with the aim of empowering youth into becoming job creators.

With the ultimate dream of becoming an entrepreneur in music production, Welleh jumped at the opportunity to attain business skills from the MTN Foundation Youth Skilling program in December 2020.

He knew that to attain the dream of becoming one of the most successful music producers in the region, he needed to have the right business skillset to run and manage a company.

“Through the MTN Foundation Youth Skilling Program, I learnt how to manage business and now have some knowledge especially on digital skills. I can now keep tabs on my company records through Microsoft excel, make beautiful presentations using MS Power point and the overall knowledge of using computers will help me navigate the software in my music production journey,” he says.

Welleh’s music production journey is budding with about a year’s experience in his pocket.

He embarked on the tunes and hymns expedition after schools were closed as a result of the pandemic in March 2020.

Welleh is a senior six vacist from Bright Secondary School Entebbe having accomplished his Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) in 2019, right before the pandemic hit.

Slotted for university in 2020, unaware of the pandemic that the future held, Welleh was vested in cultivating a passion he had for music. He was inspired by the late Danz Kumapeesa.

“After finishing my S6, I got a job from which I was earning some money. I bought a small laptop and installed basic software for music production,” he narrates.

For months, Welleh trained on his laptop and a nearby studio in Seguku where he was working with his father. In November 2020, Welleh hit a milestone when he got an opportunity to work as producer at his uncle’s friend’s studio.

“With help from my uncle, I got a link to his friend who needed a producer.  Following a successful audition, I was hired at that studio in Kajjansi where I had to relocate,” he says.

However, the job didn’t last very long because the proprietor of the studio pulled out of the business, forcing Welleh to relocate back to his family home in Bulenga.

Determined to become a music producer, Welleh discovered Pinnacle records in Bulenga, a studio where he now undertakes continuous and relentless training.

“I officially joined the music industry while at Pinnacle records. There, I continued training myself both in the studio and researching via the internet on how to better my music production skills,” Welleh recounts.

 

Achievements

Already, in his budding music production journey, Welleh has worked with some artists, mostly a cocktail of the upcoming.

“I have worked with some that might be known and others that aren’t so famous. I have worked with Zil Zil but one of my greatest achievements is making people happy through the work I do,” he explains.

Challenges

Welleh’s journey of music production has been an adventure not without its challenges.

As he reveals, the high costs involved in investing in studio time and time required for research limit his ability to fully harness his potential in music production.

“I would like to go to a real school for example in sound engineering such that I can fully become like one of those renowned and advanced music producers but that is expensive,” he notes.

Youth Skilling Program boosts networking for Welleh

Already, MTN Foundation Youth Skilling Program has set some milestones for the youngster through network connections to one of the prominent music producers.

During his training, Welleh had the opportunity to meet Benon Mugumbya, popularly known as Benon, a musician and renowned music producer from Swangz Avenue.

Well-grounded on digital and business skills attained through the Program, Welleh believes that he will be well prepared to seek for an opportunity at Swangz Avenue sooner than later.

At Swangz, he hopes to build onto his music experience before he can venture into his own production.

He wishes to work with various talented artists such as Sheebah Karungi, Spice Diana and Naava Grey among others in future.

Speaking further to his future, Welleh hopes to become an accomplished entrepreneur in the music industry flanked by an honors of the best music producer across East Africa.

The pandemic has ceased to be news and is now part of our lives. However, what still catches the ears of the public is the impact the pandemic is creating in our society. For businesses especially, some have suffered the wrath of the ever-changing economic landscape occasioned by the virus. The tough punch dealt to potential customers’ incomes through job loss doesn’t help the situation. However, a firm and determined business should house the agility to adapt to the situation.

One of the ways to remain afloat and beat the virus is to digitize.

Since the onset of covid-19, we have seen a paradigm shift towards digitisation of business operations across the 21 sectors. We are witnessing an extreme reliance on ICT solutions as businesses seek for alternative ways to remain productive during and after the pandemic. A plethora of businesses have shifted operations to digital platforms. Host platforms have reported an increase in merchants and evidently the rationale is to boost sales even during the lockdown. This is also evidenced by the increase in demand for stable internet connection especially working at home as well as mobile money payments for businesses both in Kampala and outside Kampala.

Effective and frequent communication

However digitization ought to be coupled with effective communication if your business is to succeed. At MTN, we offer customized three in 1 packages including voice, SMS and internet to enable you effectively run your online business.

Expose your business widely

One of the concerns with the pandemic is the reduced disposable income amongst the public. But the beauty with digitization is the endless pool of markets.

Digitization opens your business up to markets in Uganda, across regions and globally. This is important because whereas one market could be affected, another market presents an opportunity for your business.

Endeavor to scale your business operations online. Do not limit your business only to in-country operations, have a presence and representation through website, phone contacts among others on not only national but also international level.

Look for value pockets

As a small business, it is also important to carry out a post-mortem during this period to understand your value pockets. It is important to understand who is currently driving your revenue. Your current client base might be different from over 6 months or even two years ago.

Once you have figured that out, create a strategy on engaging those currently driving your revenue and the future prospects of the client base and ensure discipline to follow through with the strategy to the letter.

Focus on that strategy and ensure you have the technical capability to effectively execute it.

One of the tenets of the strategy should be to examine the way a business can redefine its products and services to suit the demand or situation caused by the pandemic. In MTN’s case, prior to the pandemic, investment of large scale internet majorly targeted large corporations in central business districts but that has since changed to cater to residential areas and smaller businesses as working from home persists.

Standing out on digital

And as more businesses digitize, your business needs to set itself apart.

The first step is to ensure your business is digitized with great connectivity.

MTN has fibre from border to border across over 50 major districts in Uganda and we have channel partners to support the digitization process.

MTN also has fibre close to over 300 estates in the central business districts available to support work from home.

As a business, you also ought to have a number of payment options to enable customers to pay from anywhere at their convenience.

Through mobile money, one of the commonest means of money transfer in Uganda, MTN enables businesses to ease the payment process through MoMo for Business solutions which can be accessed at talk business on the MTN website.

 

 

 

 

 

 

MTN Uganda, the country’s leading techco (Technology-led company), has today launched a nationwide forest restoration project to symbolise the deepening of its roots in Uganda, a country that has been home to the company since 1998.

Themed “Uganda is Home” this initiative is in preparation of MTN Uganda listing 20% of its shares on the Uganda Stock Exchange, an opportunity for Ugandans to own a part of the company.

Launched today at Kyewaga Central Forest Reserve in Entebbe, the MTN reforestation project, that is being undertaken in partnership with the National Forestry Authority, wiil see the company restore 220 hectares of forest cover in five Central Forest Reserves (CFRs) across the country.

These include Barifa CFR in Arua, Kagombe CFR in Kibaale, Jubiya CFR in Masaka and Ogera Hills CFR in Serere district. The month-long reforestation project will see 220 hectares of forest cover restored across the country, with every 10 hectares symbolizing one year of MTN’s existence in Uganda so far.

The MTN forest restoration project is the but one of the many initiatives that the company has undertaken over the years to strengthen its relationship with a country that it calls home. It is also a recommitment by the company to play its part in the development of its home, Uganda as envisaged by MTN’s business model that suggests that businesses can only thrive when the communities within which they operate are thriving.

To this effect, MTN has over the years made several Corporate Social Investments in areas of health, education, sports, music and arts among others as a way of supporting communities to thrive in order to create a win-win situation for both the business as well as the citizens of Uganda through its corporate social responsibility arm, the MTN Foundation.

Key among MTN’s corporate social investments is the refurbishment and re-equipment of over 30 health center IIIs across the country to support the government’s strides towards the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal Number 3 which calls for health and well-being for all. Furthermore, through the MTN Kampala Marathon, the company has been raised funds that have been sunk into health and wellness projects in various communities across the country for the last 17 years.

MTN has also worked with the PEAS (Promoting Equality in African Schools) organization to construct classroom blocks in 10 secondary schools located in hard-to-reach areas in order to champion access to affordable secondary school education. This project alone created space for close to 2000 learners in the schools.

Most recently, MTN has been instrumental in complementing the government’s efforts towards combatting the spread of the deadly corona virus as well as supporting communities cope with the harsh effects of the pandemic. MTN has so far injected over 2 billion shillings in the fight against Corona Virus in Uganda. MTN donated 3 brand new pickups to the National Covid Task Force, partnered with National water and sewerage cooperation to provide clean safe water to the people in water hardened areas to promote hand-washing as a preventive measure towards the spread of the virus, partnered with the Uganda Red Cross Society to monitor SOPs in high traffic areas such as the national borders and markets among others. These initiatives were further complemented by interventions such as the scrapping of MoMo transaction fees, supporting the ministry of health with its call-center infrastructure as well as zero-rating e-learning sites to enable students to carry on with their studies as schools were closed, among others.

Like the reforestation project, all the above activities demonstrate MTN’s long-term commitment as a responsible corporate citizen in Uganda over the years.

Speaking at the forest restoration launch today at the Kyewaga Central Forest Reserve in Entebbe, where MTN restored the first 20 hectares of forest cover, Wim Vanhelleputte, the MTN Chief Executive Officer said that MTN Uganda has over the years established its roots in Uganda and that the reforestation project was purely a symbolism of the company deepening its roots in a country that has become home in preparation of MTN Uganda listing 20% of its shares on the Uganda Stock Exchange.

“When the government of Uganda granted us our second operating license in 2020, part of the agreements was that MTN would list on the Uganda Securities Exchange by 2022. To MTN , this is a very welcome step because listing on the Uganda Securities Exchange means that Ugandans will also now share a part of the company.

He further noted that Uganda has been and continues to be a good home to MTN. It is for this reason that MTN has closely worked with the government to complement its efforts in various sectors such as Health, Education, Youth Skilling and ICT, among others.

In his remarks, Tom Obong Okello, the Executive Director of the National Forestry Authority lauded MTN for supporting the government in reinstating forest coverage in the country.

“This is one of the single biggest investments into the sector by any corporate organization so far, we are certain of the tremendous positive impact on the local communities and the entire country”, said Okello.

The “Uganda is Home” campaign comes shortly after MTN Uganda hit a milestone of 15 million subscribers, further deepening its roots in the country as the leading telecom company of choice.

MTN is committed to investing further to serve its ever-growing customer base diligently and to supporting the government’s efforts towards the socio-economic development of the Uganda.

National Curriculum Development Center (NCDC), the government body responsible for the development of educational curricula for primary, secondary and some tertiary institutions in Uganda has lauded MTN for its initiative to encourage learning from home by zero rating learning institution websites for students.

Gilbert Gift Siima, the curriculum specialist ICT at National Curriculum Development Center (NCDC) said the initiative enabled students who were studying from home to access learning materials during the lockdown.

This, he said was especially helpful for candidate students in the primary leaving examinations (PLE) and the O’level Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) who have recently received their results.

Following the closure of schools during the initial country lockdown, MTN in March last year allowed free access to 17 learning sites in partnership with NCDC to ensure students study from home while also enabling parents home school the children.

Some of the learning sites which can be accessed from https://www.mtn.co.ug/learnathome/  include:

http://www.classroommagazines.scholastic.com/

http://www.allinonehomeschool.com/

http://www.abcya.com/

http://www.splashlearn.com/

Some of the learning institutions include universities such as Makerere University, Uganda Christian University and Uganda Martyrs University among others.

Namubiru Agnes, a teacher and mother of two candidates from St Francis Education Center in Namawojjolo says her and her children benefitted a lot from reading materials on the zero rated websites.

“When they sent the children back home, they told us to access materials online and that is what I did. With the help of my sister who accessed the websites, I was able to homeschool my children. It helped us a lot to keep the children focused on education,” she recounts.

According to Siima, the sites have continuously recorded increased traffic signaling to the increased usage amongst the learners.

He lauded MTN for its efforts as a corporate citizen in enabling continuity of the education sector which has been hard hit by the covid-19 pandemic.

MTN Uganda General Manager Corporate services and legal, Enid Edroma said the telecom is glad to have partnered with NCDC to support the people of Uganda.

“MTN is dedicated to continuously support the people of Uganda. We understand the vitality of education especially to the youngsters in the country, and as such thought it necessary to ensure that they remain focused and studying at no cost to the parents whose incomes have also been affected by the pandemic,” Edroma noted.

This comes after the Ministry of education and sports released the PLE and UCE results last month.

Collage of graduates during the virtual graduation ceremony organised by the MTN Foundation and Ubunifu systems

60 youth have successfully graduated having attained digital and technical skills in the first cohort of the MTN Foundation youth skilling program.

The MTN Foundation youth skilling program is an initiative funded by MTN Foundation Uganda and implemented by Ubunifu systems aimed at inspiring and empowering youth with the goal of creating practical ICT driven solutions to challenges in society.

The program, which kicked off in December 2020 received nearly 2000 applications but only targeted 100 youth from university graduates, Small and medium enterprises and young innovators.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony held during an online webinar, The MTN General Manager Corporate services and Legal, Enid Edroma who was representing the MTN CEO congratulated the youth upon the accomplishment urging them to use the skills attained to improve their society.

“These graduands are not your ordinary people. They were picked out of 1900 applicants for the training. This was not a chance occurrence because within each one of you are certain special qualities that helped identify you as the right candidates and these include, the passion which we saw through your applications. We also noticed your resilience and positive outlook to life and its challenges,” Edroma said.

Edroma highlighted the resilience of the youth who quickly adapted to online training when the pandemic hit and interrupted the program.

The MTN youth skilling program which was entirely conducted online employed a three pronged approach tackling digital and technical skills as well as an incubation phase for aspiring entrepreneurs focused on four thematic areas including agriculture, health, education and youth empowerment.

Addressing the effect of the pandemic especially on the education sector, Edroma said covid-19 has accelerated the advancement and adoption of technology.

She however also noted that there are still gaps that need to be plugged especially in the lower education segments.

“There are areas that can still be better for instance primary and secondary education. It would be nice to see that segment also move into the digital space which will demonstrate the value of digitisation,” she said.

Edroma was reiterated by Brian Mbasa, the senior manager MTN Foundation who said the objective of the program is to empower youth to establish businesses which will have a trickle-down effect by employing other youth in society.

He explained that this is the first of many editions of the MTN youth skilling program as a new edition will kick off in January next year.

Sylvester Nyombi, the brand and communications manager, Ubunifu systems said the program enjoyed a diversity of youth having drawn people from 86 districts, with a high level of female participation and inclusion of persons with disabilities.

Nagawa Hajara, one of the female graduates in the program said she has attained various skills which have been instrumental in aiding her establish her agribusiness training center.

Hajarah-Naggawa-one-of-the-graduands-during-the-skilling-program-conducted-online.

The graduation ceremony was graced with various dignitaries from the ICT sector such as Micheal Niyitegeka, International Computer Driving Licence (ICDL) Africa country director and Kenneth Muhangi, advisor at ministry of ICT, who awarded certificates of excellence to the graduands.

The guest of honour, Honorable Sarah Mateke Nyirabashitsi, Minister of State for Youth and Children Affairs commended MTN and Ubunifu systems for the initiative of skilling youth explaining that this has contributed a lot to improving the quality of labour in the country.

She also said that despite existence of similar government programs geared towards skilling the youth for example the youth livelihood program, there is still need for extra support from the private sector.

“Demand for affordable credit to support the youth to establish viable businesses is very high compared to the available funds I therefore appeal to the private sector to keep supporting us and implementing government programs,” she urged.

Hon Mateke said the program is timely and will be acknowledged during her first 100 days in office as the country prepares to celebrate the international youth day on August 12.