MTN Ghana has officially launched its Annual Employee Volunteer Programme dubbed 21 Days of Y’ello Care under the theme: “Empowering entrepreneurs to unlock growth and job creation for communities”.
The 21 Days of Y’ello Care Challenge is an annual employee volunteer initiative launched by MTN Group in 2007 to encourage MTN staff to commit their time and resources to community service for 21 days in June.
The “21 Days of Y’ello Care” is a competition amongst MTN operations to secure the highest number of staff involved in volunteerism and initiating projects with remarkable impact. The country with the highest staff participation wins the prize money of $100,000 to be reinvested in community projects.
Speaking at the launching ceremony in Accra, the Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer of MTN Ghana Adwoa Afriyie Wiafe noted that, this year the company will be leveraging digital and financial tools as well as their professional skills to assist grassroots-based entrepreneurs to unlock their potential. Stressing that, their campaign will focus on the youth, women, and the differently abled.
“With the theme and objectives in mind, the spotlight for this year’s 21 Days of Y’ello Care will be on the following projects:
Youth Entrepreneurship Train-YET
According to her, this initiative seeks to promote youth-led businesses in the digital space. MTN volunteers will take beneficiaries through customer service and social media training.
In addition, a knowledge-sharing forum will be organised with volunteer entrepreneurs to deliver enterprise business solutions.
Women-In-Action
Explaining that this campaign will focus on indigenous local businesses in the shea butter space, smock weaving, fish mongering or smoking, palm oil, and basket weaving, among others. Volunteers will help to connect these businesses to bigger markets using smartphones and social media.
Differently Abled
Under the differently abled campaign, she said they will provide seed money and training to scale up the businesses of people who are differently abled.
Through this initiative, volunteers will provide financial training and customized solutions for such businesses. We will also share with them information on funding opportunities through an interactive session.
The Country Director for Engage Africa Now (ENA) Mrs. Cecilia Amankwah, whose outfit is partnering with MTN was optimistic that the 21 Days of Y’ello Care” will go long way to help eradicate poverty in the country.
The Country Director for Engage Africa Now (ENA), Mrs. Cecilia Amankwah, whose outfit is partnering with MTN, is optimistic that the “21 Days of Y’ello Care” would go a long way toward eradicating poverty in the country.
She also entreated the youth to grab this golden opportunity in order to become economically independent in life.
The Queen for Youth and Children for the Ga State, Naa Ayele Norbatse I, who graced the occasion applauded MTN Ghana for their unflinching support toward the development the youth and the country as well.
About 21 Days of Y’ello Care Challenge
Since its inception in 2007, the initiative has impacted millions of people and communities across the continent of Africa.
Through this initiative, MTN has embarked on mega projects including the constructing, refurbishing, painting, and remodeling of dilapidated school blocks, building ICT centres and libraries in selected communities, donating school bags and learning materials to children in deprived schools across the country.
They have also cleaned riverbanks and beaches, raised environmental awareness, and promoted ecotourism projects such as bird watching.
In keeping with their commitment to proper waste management practice, MTN volunteers have harvested over 100,000 waste plastic bottles and recycled them into building and pavement blocks.
Source: Isaac Kofi Dzokpo/newsghana.com.gh
