After a two-year absence due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, MTN SA’s ‘21 Days of Y’ello Care’ employee volunteerism programme made major inroads addressing socio-economic and skills challenges across the country this month.
Leveraging technology to provide training, upskilling, and broader societal support, the roll-out of the 2022 initiatives harnessed the benefits of technology and goodwill to change lives and create new opportunities for SA’s youth in the digital economy of the future.
“We are proud of the impact our Y’ello Care programme has made over the past 15 years. Each year we work to extend our reach in driving economic growth and community upliftment across the country, and we will continue to work hard to ensure more of South Africa’s people are given every opportunity to succeed at school, or in life, and be future-fit,” says Charles Molapisi, MTN SA CEO.
Delivering on this commitment, MTN invested in a state-of-the-art multimedia centre for the Naga Lipudi Career, Science and Resource Centre, in Mogale City, Gauteng. The centre was handed over today to Mogale City Executive Mayor, Mr Tyrone Gray, by the CEO of MTN SA, Charles Molapisi, closing out the company’s Mandela month activities.
The 20-seater multimedia centre is equipped with desktops, MTN Wi-Fi connectivity for 24 months, an interactive white board and a laser printer. To create a seamless experience for visitors and ensure that they can easily access and enjoy the benefits of the technology, ICT training will be provided for all centre staff.
“Young people have enormous potential to drive economic growth and help their communities to thrive. With Nelson Mandela’s vision for education as our guiding light, we will keep doing more so that SA’s youth will be able to grasp the opportunities being presented by the digital economy”, says Angie Maloka, Senior Manager: Community Programmes at the MTN Foundation.
The major focus for Y’ello Care 2022 was two-fold – to keep young people learning in schools and encourage study pathways into digital careers.
A good example of this is the MTN Online School portal. Launched during the worst days of the pandemic, the online educational portal, was developed in partnership with the Department of Basic Education and the National Education Collaboration Trust to accelerate the digitisation of educational content for Grade R/0-Grade 12 learners. It is free to use for MTN subscribers.
“To encourage digital learning across all regions, we have been working alongside a number of government departments, including the DoE and Department of Social Development and Education, to introduce, train and upskill learners and educators on the platform – which is making huge strides in learning in areas where books can’t reach”, says Maloka.
Initiatives in Mpumalanga, Free State and Northern Cape saw access to digital learning opened to the OR Tambo Mathematics, Science and Technology Centre and Trompsberg Secondary School. An Internet of Things (IoT) Club was launched in Western Cape to create an interest in engineering through a fun and interactive programme, while digital learning and career guidance masterclasses and skills development programmes for vulnerable groups, females and people with disabilities were initiated in the North-West.
“Our support goes beyond schooling to uplift where needs are greatest. Keeping true to this commitment, and in the spirit of Mandela month, we also donated food hampers and vouchers, data, technology gadgets, routers, smart phones and learner packs to communities across the country”, continues Maloka.
From George to impoverished areas of Port Elizabeth, children, families and schools were provided with everything from mattresses and clean-ups to educational and life skills support. Working alongside the Eastern Cape Premier’s office, Gogo Mbashe’s new house was refurnished, and perimeter fence erected, after it had been destroyed in a mud slide.
In addition, partnerships with the Modern Art Projects South Africa (MAPSA), the National Heritage Council of South Africa, and Johannesburg-based artist Lazi Mathebula, worked to uplift emerging artists, printmakers and craft-workers throughout the month. The Mandela-inspired artwork created through one of the projects were handed over to the Mogale City Museum today.
“None of this would have been possible without the support from government and other partners. Our MTN staff across the country have also been integral to the success of this year’s programme, and I am extremely proud of them for giving their time and expertise to make a real difference in a truly tangible way. Together, we will continue to forge strong partnerships as we get closer to bridging the digital divide,” says Molapisi.
