Press Release: MTN Zambia launches 2016 21 Days of Y’ello Care
MTN Zambia CS General Manager Mwenzi Mulenga explains what the 21 Days of Yello Care project is about
MTN Zambia has launched its annual staff volunteer programme; 21 Days of Y’ello Care. The campaign started on 1st June 2016 and is expected to end on 21st June 2016.
The 2016 21 Days of Y’ello Care initiative will see MTN staff in Zambia conduct ICT training In Lusaka and Copperbelt Province. The team will provide primary school, secondary school and special-needs teachers with tools and training to enhance their ICT teaching skills. In this regard, trained facilitators will host a 1-day workshop for 110 teachers in Lusaka and Kitwe. Employees will also refurbish containers into libraries for students in these areas. MTN Zambia will also host a marathon on 18 June, in order to raise funds for computers which will be donated to identified schools.
MTN Zambia Chief Executive Officer Charles Molapisi said The 21 Days of Y’ello Care initiative was instituted by the MTN group in 2007 as a demonstration of MTN’s commitment to look beyond its main operations by encouraging its employees to reach out to the communities.
‘The 21 Days of Y’ello Care initiative began ten years ago as a way of MTN Group responding to social needs in the communities in which they operate. In over 22 countries in Africa and the middle-east, will be the mood of giving and giving. This will be done by identifying needs related to the development of ICT in education under the theme ‘Investing in education for all’. Through this initiative, we have built classroom blocks, computer laboratories, donated ICT equipment, provided shelter, helped fight malaria and many other interventions through our collective efforts”, he said.
“As MTN Zambia, we are excited by the theme as we appreciate the importance of enhancing education in our country. We plan to train 110 teachers in ICT from both Primary and secondary schools; we will also hold a fundraising marathon on 18 June, to enable us buy computers which we will donate to select schools. We will establish two libraries in Lusaka and Kitwe and promote a tech learning program offered by Edulution Zambia in Lusaka-based community schools and at the end of it all provide a school bag to select pupils in community schools. We believe these initiatives will encourage the teachers and pupils as well as remind them of the continuous need to learn and sharpen their skills in ICT. These projects will be done at a cost of K500, 000,” said Molapisi.
“As we all might be aware ICT was introduced in schools and we wish to congratulate our government for doing that. Though we may have a long way to go in catching up with global trends, MTN Zambia believes that we are headed in the right direction. The era we are living in is driven by technology and the growth is being experienced at a very high rate, as such we almost feel obligated to assist in increasing the number of teachers and learners who have access to technology ,” said Molapisi .
“Our vision is to lead the delivery of a bold new digital world. Let’s go digital together,” he said.