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For Immediate Release
- MTN Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of MTN Uganda, has today partnered with Uganda Christian University (UCU) to empower Uganda’s youth with essential digital skills.
- Central to this partnership is the integration of the MTN Skills Academy into UCU’s curriculum, bridging the digital skills gap and fostering economic growth through education and technology.
Launched at the Mobile World Congress Africa in Kigali in October 2022, the MTN Skills Academy is a flagship program under MTN’s Digital Skills for Digital Jobs initiative
Beyond the MTN Skills Academy, MTN Foundation implements other initiatives such as the MTN ACE program, the MTN Internet Bus, and the provision of computers to educational institutions
Wednesday 28 August 2024. Kampala, Uganda. MTN Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of MTN Uganda, has today partnered with Uganda Christian University (UCU) to empower Uganda’s youth with essential digital skills.
This follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at MTN Uganda, highlighting a shared vision of equipping the next generation with the digital competencies required to thrive in the rapidly evolving job market.
Central to this partnership is the integration of the MTN Skills Academy into UCU’s curriculum, bridging the digital skills gap and fostering economic growth through education and technology.
Launched at the Mobile World Congress Africa in Kigali in October 2022, the MTN Skills Academy is a flagship program under MTN’s Digital Skills for Digital Jobs initiative. It aims to provide young Ugandans with practical digital skills, in alignment with the African Union’s ‘Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa’ and MTN’s Ambition 2025, which aspires to lead digital solutions for Africa’s progress.
Since its inception in Uganda in partnership with the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, National ICT Innovation Hub, American Tower Cooperation (ATC), and Huawei in September 2023, the MTN Skills Academy has enrolled over 1,420 young individuals eager to enhance their digital proficiency and seize new employment opportunities.
This program addresses the critical challenge of unemployment and limited opportunities due to low digital literacy among Uganda’s youth, over 75% of whom are under the age of 30, according to the World Bank.
“At MTN Uganda, we believe that everyone should enjoy the benefits of a modern connected life, irrespective of their background or status and this includes access to opportunities,” said Stephen Mutana, Chief Strategy and Stakeholder Officer at MTN Mobile Money Uganda Ltd.
“Our partnership with Uganda Christian University therefore marks a pivotal chapter in our mission to ensure that every young Ugandan has access to the digital skills needed to succeed in today’s economy. The integration of the Skills Academy into UCU’s coursework, specifically within the Foundational Basic Computing unit, will provide students with a robust foundation in practical digital skills, enhancing their academic and professional prospects.”
David Mugawe, Vice-Chancellor of Uganda Christian University, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, noting, “UCU is dedicated to educational excellence and preparing our students for the future. Collaborating with MTN Uganda on this initiative will significantly enrich our curriculum and provide our students with invaluable digital skills training.”
The signing of this MoU exemplifies the fruitful collaboration between the private sector and educational institutions in fostering meaningful change and driving Uganda’s digital agenda forward. It is a testament to our collective responsibility to equip our youth with the skills necessary to lead Uganda into a digitally empowered future.
“Together, we are unstoppable in addressing today’s challenges and paving the way for a brighter, opportunity-filled future for Uganda’s youth,” Mbasa added.
Beyond the MTN Skills Academy, MTN Foundation implements other initiatives such as the MTN ACE program, the MTN Internet Bus, and the provision of computers to educational institutions to enhance the population’s digital skills. These efforts reflect our unwavering commitment to enhancing digital literacy and access across Uganda.
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About MTN Uganda Foundation
The MTN Uganda Foundation is a not-for-profit legal entity that was inaugurated in July 2007 as a vehicle through which MTN Uganda implements its corporate social investments (CSI). The Foundation strives to improve the quality of life in communities where MTN Uganda operates in a sustainable way. Its purpose is to bring about meaningful, measurable, and sustainable change that helps disadvantaged and rural communities to become self-sufficient. With a focus on innovative technology, we aim to uplift communities towards independence in this bold new digital world. The Foundation invests resources for social redress, thus economic empowerment, education, health, and humanitarian response. The Foundation implements projects that are highly enabled by ICT solutions.
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 National Telecommunications Operator (NTO) licence granted by the Uganda Telecommunications Commission (UCC). Among our offerings are network services, digital and financial technology services, interconnect and roaming, sale of mobile devices, and MTN Mobile Money (conducted through subsidiary MTN Mobile Money Uganda Limited). MTN has a presence in all 134 districts of Uganda. Services are delivered through a network of over 170,000 MoMo agents, 292,000 MoMo merchants, 200 service stores and 13 main distributors. For the full year period ended December 31, 2023, MTN Uganda had 19.5 million subscribers, 12.1 million MoMo users, and 8.2 million active data users. Visit us at www.mtn.co.ug or follow us on www.youtube.com/mtnug and www.twitter.com/mtnug for assistance.
About the MTN Group
Launched in 1994, the MTN Group is a leading emerging market operator with a clear vision to lead the delivery of a bold new digital world to our 240 million customers in 21 countries in Africa and the Middle East. We are inspired by our belief that everyone deserves the benefits of a modern, connected life. The MTN Group is listed on the JSE Securities Exchange in South Africa under the share code “MTN.” We are pursuing our Ambition 2021 strategy, focusing on growth in data, fintech, and digital businesses.
For more information, please contact:
MTN Uganda Press Office: mediadesk.ug@mtn.com
Martin Sebuliba: martin.sebuliba@mtn.com or 0772 121 372
Prisca Baike: prisca.baike@tbwa-uganda.com or 0782 654 083