Johannesburg – MTN Group is inviting social media users across Africa and the Middle East to join its employees in a virtual campaign to break down traditional barriers to education, by sharing interesting facts during the company’s annual 21 Days of Y’ello Care programme.
Using the hashtag #ShareKnowledge, members of the public with access to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, are encouraged to share fun facts or pieces of information that is less known about their countries, but it is of great interest to the world. The campaign aims to pass on knowledge and make learning fun.
“Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s famous quote, Be the change you want to see in the world, we are launching this campaign to practically demonstrate the role of technology in enabling greater access to education. We are particularly excited about this initiative because it is something that everyone in our communities can be part of,” says Chris Maroleng, Executive for Corporate Affairs, MTN Group.
While the knowledge share efforts gain momentum virtually, MTN employees will be making a difference physically by embarking on a myriad of education-focused activities in local communities. These range from classroom renovations and literacy projects, to Information Communication Technology (ICT) training and the provision of digital educational content.
Maroleng says if past efforts are anything to go by, 2017 will deliver yet another memorable Y’ello Care campaign for communities in MTN’s markets.
“In 2016, more than 10 000 employees participated in Y’ello Care. Together, they built 10 classrooms, established 56 libraries and launched eight ICT labs. Their efforts benefitted more than 100 000 people in our communities,” says Maroleng.
Y’ello Care 2017 activities:
In Ghana, MTNers will embark on a series of refurbishment activities including carpentry, re-roofing, painting and computer installation, at the Street Academy School in Accra. The team will also conduct reading clinics and teacher trainings in various regions.
In Nigeria, MTNers will refurbish and donate an ICT lab complete with an online learning hub to the students and teachers of the Lagos State Government Education District III. In addition, MTN Nigeria will participate in the ‘Adopt a School’ initiative, through the donation of digital learning material. MTN Nigeria will close off its 21 Days of Y’ello Care programme by empowering the physically challenged as well as host training workshops for ICT teachers.
MTN Syria employees will renovate classrooms and install new computers, complete with internet connectivity and electronic learning material, at a school in Damascus.
MTNers in Rwanda will spend the next 21 days implementing a digital application to manage communication around education for teachers, students and the education department. The team will host ICT training, and mentorship and reading sessions. They will also construct three classrooms, as well as install solar panels and water tanks to enable access to clean water.
In South Africa, a 21km marathon will once again be held to raise funds for ICT in education. Funds will be donated to the Ekurhuleni School for the Deaf in Katlehong, Ekurhuleni. The school will receive a customised state of the art multimedia centre for deaf learners.
MTN Group staff based in Johannesburg will renovate the Grade 8 block at the Lenz Public School. In addition, the team has partnered with the Wot If Trust on a series of “Thinkubation” sessions, which will see senior management share insights and advice with entrepreneurs in Diepsloot.
Prize monies for the best campaigns
At the end of the programme, all MTN operations that participate in Y’ello Care stand in line to win monetary prizes, which are to be invested into CSI or community upliftment programmes in their market. These include the Group President & CEO prize of US$100 000 and Vice President prizes for each region (WECA, SEA and MENA) of US$30 000.
The MTN Group is a leading emerging market operator, connecting subscribers in 22 countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The MTN Group is listed on the JSE Securities Exchange in South Africa under the share code: “MTN”. As of 31 March 2017, MTN recorded 237 million subscribers across its operations in Afghanistan, Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Cyprus, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Republic, Iran, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville), Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, South Sudan, Swaziland, Syria, Uganda, Yemen and Zambia.
