In an epoch-making stride towards fortifying Uganda’s youth, the MTN Foundation, the corporate social responsibility wing of MTN Uganda, has heralded the advent of the MTN Skills Academy.
This avant-garde online platform is poised to obliterate the digital divide, emboldening the nation’s budding talent.
Against the backdrop of the grand launch hosted at the American Tower Cooperation (ATC) Digital Community in Mukono District on September 8th, Sylvia Mulinge, the formidable Chief Executive Officer of MTN Uganda, fervently accentuated the program’s pivotal role in bridging the chasm between digital acumen and tangible job opportunities.
She ardently declared, “As MTN, we are committed to driving digital solutions for Africa’s progress. With the launch of the MTN Skills Academy in Uganda, we aim to equip the country’s youth, who are at the forefront of digitalization, with the necessary skills to advance the digitalization agenda and drive the nation’s progress.”
Mulinge astutely observed that the MTN Skills Academy would be a linchpin in surmounting the challenges confronting Uganda’s youth, who constitute the bedrock of the population, yet paradoxically, stand as one of the most vulnerable demographics in the nation.
In an unprecedented collaboration with luminaries in the field, including the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, the National ICT Innovation Hub, the ATC, and tech giant Huawei, the MTN Skills Academy seamlessly aligns with Uganda’s National Development Plan III, Digital Vision 2040, and the National Digital Transformation Roadmap.
The ultimate goal? To furnish Uganda’s youth and their counterparts across the African expanse with critical digital and financial skills.
This, in turn, is primed to act as a fulcrum for sparking a renaissance in job creation and skyrocketing employment prospects.
Notably, the latest World Bank data paints a vivid picture: over 75% of Uganda’s population is under the age of 30. Coupled with a striking youth unemployment rate of 13.3%, this places Uganda among the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Adding to the urgency, the International Finance Corporation prognosticates that come 2030, a staggering 230 million jobs will mandate digital proficiency.
Hon. Joyce Nabbosa Ssebugwawo, the Minister of State for Information, Communications, and Technology, heaped accolades upon MTN for its ceaseless dedication to innovation and its pivotal role in propelling Uganda towards sustainable development through ICT.
She effused, “We acknowledge that progress can only be achieved collaboratively. I extend my gratitude to MTN for continually seeking and implementing innovations that propel our digitalization agenda forward. This project will enable our youth to tap into the vast resources that MTN offers for our nation’s development.”
The inaugural event also witnessed the participation of esteemed digitalization stalwarts, Huawei and ATC, who hailed the innovation and pledged unwavering support for the program.
Nompilo Morafo, the indomitable MTN Group Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer, accentuated that the MTN Skills Academy would not only redress the dearth of digital skills but would also be the linchpin in fostering sustainable economic growth in Uganda.
She emphatically stated, “In a world where digital literacy is as crucial as reading and writing, the MTN Skills Academy serves as a testament to our commitment to Uganda’s sustainable development. We believe that this platform will be pivotal in providing Ugandan youth with the essential skills required to flourish in the digital economy.”
Morafo underscored that this initiative would not only alleviate the scarcity of digital skills but would also have a positive domino effect on the nation’s economic trajectory.
MTN’s pledge to empower youth transcends Uganda, with ambitious plans to introduce the MTN Skills Academy across all its African subsidiaries. Their audacious target? To empower at least one million youths by 2025.
It is imperative to note that MTN Uganda has concurrent initiatives under the MTN ACE program, crafted to arm youth with the acumen to leverage ICTs for Uganda’s socioeconomic transformation.
It marked an epoch as the first cohort of 185 youths graduates, armed with concrete skills in digital technologies, poised to be purveyors of innovative ICT solutions for their communities.
The MTN Foundation’s Skills Academy stands as a beacon of hope, offering a dynamic platform for skill acquisition and personal development, while propelling countless young individuals towards a future brimming with boundless potential and opportunity.
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