MTN Foundation commissions ICT Lab in Gulu

MTN CEO Wim Vanhelleputte shares ICT skills with a student at the opening ceremony of the MTN Foundation funded Gulu War Affected Training Centre. COURTESY PHOTO

GULU.

MTN Foundation has opened a new Information Communication Technology (ICT) resource centre at the Gulu War Affected Training Centre in Gulu District.

The project, estimated to have cost more than Shs100m, was established to support the centre that trains and equips girls and women with life and business skills, who were affected during the war in northern Uganda.

The lab, which contains 15 state of the art computers, hi-powered UPS system and dedicated Internet connectivity will enable the community of Gulu to access both Internet services and ICT basics.

“With the growing trends in technology, MTN Uganda through the MTN Foundation continues to bridge the gap between the urban and rural areas especially in the education sector, through the implementation of ICT related initiatives in communities across the country,” MTN chief executive officer Wim Vanhelleputte, said at the commissioning in Gulu last week.

He added that there is a direct link between improved literacy and the socio-economic status of any community. “We are committed to support such initiatives that further enhance human capacity building as a catalyst for economic development,” Mr Vanhelleputte said.

The South African High Commissioner to Uganda, HE Lekoa Solly Mollo, commended MTN Uganda for its continued commitment and enthusiasm in making a difference among communities stating that the company’s support of the Gulu War Affected Training Centre will go a long way in enhancing development in Gulu.

The foundation
Objective. The MTN Uganda Foundation is a non-profit entity that was inaugurated in July 2007 as a vehicle through which MTN Uganda implements its corporate social investments. The main objective of the foundation is to improve the quality of life in communities across the country by supporting and implementing sustainable projects in education, health, art and sciences, sports and other national priorities.