MTN staff empower SMEs to unlock growth, job creation

To provide and boost entrepreneurs with the resources they need to succeed, MTN Uganda in partnership with the Uganda Small Scale Industries Association (USSIA), Maendeleo Foundation, Centenary Technlogy Services, Centenary Foundation, and Tunaweza Foundation launched its annual 21 Days of Y’ello Care campaign.

However, this year, the campaign ran for 25 days instead of the usual 21 days in commemoration of MTN Uganda’s 25th anniversary.
Started in 2007, the 21 Days of Y’ello Care initiative encourages MTN employees to contribute directly to the communities in which they live and work.

Running under the theme; ‘Empowering entrepreneurs to unlock growth and job creation for communities’, the campaign highlights the company’s commitment to driving digital transformation and fostering economic growth across the country.

“Entrepreneurs are the lifeblood of their communities, driving economic growth and creating jobs. By supporting and empowering these businesses, we contribute to the development of the thriving local economies that foster self-sufficiency and prosperity,” Ms Sylvia Mulinge, Chief Executive Officer of MTN Uganda said.

Uganda, according to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), hosts about 1.5 million people mainly from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi, Somalia, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Sudan. MTN, under the 21 Days of Y’ello Care programme also extends support to these refugees.

Beneficiaries
Refugee and Hope International,  Every Shelter’s Bashe Bora Project, Bumu Disability Development Association in Luweero District, Take-a-Step Women’s Organisation in Hoima City, ad King of Kings Multi-Investment and Consultancy Farms Ltd in Kitgum District.
 
Others include Teso Textiles and Light Dynamics in Soroti City, Mulungi Confectionary and Skilling Centre in Mukono District, Disability Employment Link Project Uganda and Tussakimu Women’s Group in Kampala.

The entrepreneurs were offered digital and financial literacy, and ICT equipment such as computers, printers, MiFis and one-year Internet subscription.

Additionally, MTN donated knitting machines, embroidery machines, industrial electric multi-purpose sewing machines, and manual sewing machines among others.
MTN also participated in cleaning and hygiene work, and walkway civil works at Kitgum General Hospital and donated 15 Macintosh mattress covers.

Centenary Technology Services Chief Technology Officer, Mr Peter Kahiigi said their collaboration with MTN Uganda signifies their unwavering commitment to creating a better future. “From empowering local entrepreneurs to fostering digital education, our shared vision promises to uplift and empower communities,” he said.

Mr Andrew Walusimbi, the Programme Manager at USSIA, said they are glad to partner with MTN Uganda in supporting vulnerable entrepreneurs to boost their production capacity and facilitate growth.

Mr Simon Bukenya, Senior Manager of SIM registration and customer experience at MTN Uganda, said the new support underlines MTN’s commitment to instigating positive change within the communities it serves. “Our purpose extends to catalysing change and enabling progress in the communities we serve,” he said.

MTN staff engage in community impacting projects

Yéllo Care’s goal is to grow the communities in which we serve by organising workshops, and mentorship programmes to help entrepreneurs improve their businesses. We prioritise the less advantaged communities to better their lives. This year, the company’s commitment is to drive digital transformation and foster economic growth with a focus on women and youth entrepreneurs. Y’ello Care has shown our staff and company values.
 Lawrence Mutekanga, Employee Consultative Committee Chairman  

I have been a part of Y’ello Care campaigns  severally and they allow MTN staff to share skills beyond the office, for instance, tailoring, carpentry, and crafting.

At Kawempe apart from donating several items, we repainted a structure to give it a new look, did stone pitching to protect the building since the area often becomes waterlogged, provided two computers and free Internet for a full year in a bid to digitise their business.
Simon Peter Kitayimbwa, Technology Division, Manager Portfolio

I shared my digital experience and marketing knowledge, for instance, how to position products, which products to sell or how to sell them, as well as share.
We shared with pregnant mothers at Bombo Health Centre III,  on how to care for themselves and their young ones and  painted the hospital.
We also donated a computer with free Internet, and a  cow horn machine to  Bumu Disability Development Association.
Sheila Awori, Customer Value Management Campaign Manager  

I have seen the Yéllo Care programme grow each year, especially staff involvement. They support in the form of cash contributions towards the cause and expertise sharing. For instance in record keeping, budgeting, and businesses growth while some buy the business products.
Every year, I see the ripple effect of participation which is amazing. For instance, at Kitgum District, staff  were moved to collect money to buy children’s clothes.
 Rose Nabakoza, Employees’ Representative, Human Resource Department

Giving hope to grassroots businesses
The words of Martin Luther King: “We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose infinite hope,” are embodied by Mr George William Okoit, the founder of Teso Textile and Light Dynamics Ltd.
Having struggled through education, especially after losing his father at a tender age, he can only smile at the change brought by MTN 21 Days Y’ello Care 2023.

He only got education through casual labour until Senior Four in 2008, when he ran dry and the streets of Mbale, Jinja, Kampala, and Nairobi became his home.
  He got a break in 2017, returned to school and attained a Certificate in Business Administration while doing various small gigs.
He joined politics and contested as a municipality councillor in 2016.
“Life then improved and I got capital to form a small business around town and later bought an embroidery machine with which I started the journey that has connected me to MTN Yéllo Care support,” he says.
“I was always keen to find a gap in my community so I can invest big yet wisely,” Mr Okoit says.
He says community members always moved to distant places for all embroidery needs which increased the cost of production and was time-wasting.   
“However, not everyone liked my vision save for one who offered his house, which we are currently using as an office,” says Mr Okoit.

Operations
The two-year-old business that targeted migrating schools and institutions from screen printing to industry embroidery, has expanded into a fashion house.
“Few months into our operations, we noticed the uniforms brought for embroidery were of very poor quality hence adding a tailoring section,” Mr Okoit says.  

They bought four manual and three electric tailoring machines. “Beyond work, we saw this as an opportunity to empower the less fortunate. Therefore, our focus was single mothers and young fathers who are tailors that we employ on recommendations.,” he says.

Furthermore, they saw an opportunity to provide better quality sweaters.  Some of the tailors were sent for refresher courses to ably take on the sweater venture.
“We also opened up our space for internship students,” he adds. The business is employing about 15 members, two on payroll, the rest earn on commission.

Y’ello package
 “We were given four manual tailoring machines, two electric straight line ones, one overlock computerised machine, 50 pieces of scissors, button hollers, two industrial steam iron, and fabric for interns,” he says.  

Future plans
The interns that came for training were only good at the theory which is presenting the company with an opportunity to scale up into a vocational training centre.
“The help from MTN has reduced our investment capital by about two years of savings. We are glad our dream are coming to life much faster than we thought,” Mr Okoit says, completely commending MTN’s Y’ello care campaign to improving livelihoods.

Ms Janet Annie Nangobi, founder of Disability Empowerment Link could not hide her joy as she narrated her encounter with the Y’ello Care, something she described as a real miracle.
Often the disabled look down on themselves by allowing the stigma from most of the outside world to define the quality of lives they lead.
“My dream was to change the mindset of people with disabilities like me, and empower them to make their own money,” she says.

Teaming up with a friend that had a small tailoring school, Ms Nangobi volunteered her skills as a trained tailor, on the condition that she brings in persons with disabilities to learn for free. This is the deal that birthed the organisation which MTN Y’ello Care has transformed with their donations.

Donations
“They serviced seven of our 12 tailoring machines that had broken down and upgraded all 12 of them into electric ones. They also donated an overlock machine, a computerised embroidery machine with its computer, a computer for my office, and a fully paid one-year internet package,” she says.  

MTN also renovated their building, including sorting an issue that had disturbed the team since they set camp at that school - water logging. They did stone pitching to protect the building.
Ms Nangobi says hope has been restored in the entire area, everyone is saying anything is possible.
“I now absolutely believe even my dream to expand to the level of granting my graduated students start-up investment will come to pass soon,” she adds.

MTN, partners in drive to skill local entrepreneurs
It was a pleasure to be part of the milestone as entrepreneurs were encouraged to do more. For instance, in Luweero, cow horns were considered waste and the community never paid attention to them. However, MTN showed us its importance by highlighting cow horn products. For example, 30 youths have enrolled in cow horn value addition training to tackle unemployment. MTN also painted the Bombo Health Centre III hence improving its outlook.
Veronica Namayanja, Executive Secretary, Uganda Small Scale Industries Association

When MTN Uganda reached out regarding Y’ello Care, it was an opportunity to take digital skills to the places where MTN was conducting Y’ello Care activities. Among other groups, we worked with people with disabilities at the Disability Employment Link.As most of them work in tailoring, we also taught them how to use the Internet to search for available fashions and designs and how to gain more tailoring skills through this class.
Asia Kamukama, Chief Executive Officer, Maendeleo Foundation

National ICT Innovation Hub has shared values with MTN Foundation to upskill local communities to drive economic activity and participation. This is by focusing on digital skills training and job creation utilising ICT.  I was thrilled to participate in this initiative that supports digital up-skilling and capacity building for women, youth, and disadvantaged populations. This year, it was more about teaching hands-on skills to the various beneficiaries.
Flavia Opio, Team Lead Innovations, National ICT Innovation Hub

This year, the campaign was driven to help the vulnerable by building communities in various ways. The climax was an outreach to a refugee area in Kansanga. Ms Sylivia Mulinge shared her story of rising above her background of abject poverty. As a result, we had many girls inquiring about internship opportunities at Cente Tech. With a constant quest to use technology to better the vulnerable, this was a major highlight.

Rowena Turinawe, head of innovations and digital solutions, Centenary Technology Solutions

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