In 2021, MTN Zambia established the MTN Zambia Foundation, a non-profit legal entity through which MTN Zambia executes its Corporate Social Investments. The Foundation focuses on 4 main areas of concentration which are Health, Education (with a special emphasis on the Digital Skills Academy), Women and Youth empowerment, as well as other crucial National Priorities.

Since its inception 16 years ago, the campaign has proved to be a phenomenal success that profiles MTN as a caring and socially responsible company. Each year we strive to improve the effectiveness of the campaign. During the Y’ello Care period, MTN Staff roll up their sleeves and go out into the communities to volunteer their time by engaging in activities that empower the lives of people.

In its 16th year, the 21 Days of Y’ello Care program saw the active participation of MTN Zambia employees in high-impact social projects within their local communities, focusing on enabling entrepreneurs with digital and financial tools, facilitating access to markets, and offering business mentoring and knowledge sharing.
Following our belief that everyone deserves the benefits of a modern connected life, the Y’ello Care activities focused on using digital and financial tools and skills to unlock the growth of grassroot based entrepreneurs with the theme “Empowering entrepreneurs to unlock growth and job creation for communities”.

One of our notable achievements was the collaboration with Impact Hub to create a 3-day youth incubator program called Y’ello Ma Youth (Incubator Hub) in partnership with the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) and the Patents and Companies Registration Agency (PACRA). This project enabled us to provide early-stage entrepreneurs with valuable resources, mentorship, and networking opportunities, ensuring they have the essential tools for the success of their businesses.

We successfully hosted ‘Unlock Your Creative Potential’, an online media training for three weeks, as part of our 21 Days of Y’ello Care initiative. In collaboration with Every Moment Connections (EMC), an arts and entertainment company, and a panel of industry experts, we offered a comprehensive course that enabled Zambian youth to leverage media platforms, enhance their content creation skills, and monetize these skills effectively.

– To support individuals with physical disabilities, we conducted entrepreneurial and financial literacy skills training at Cheshire Homes, an NGO that provides support for individuals with physical disabilities in Chipata. Additionally, we extended the training to students from the Magwero School of the Blind, with 55 participants in attendance. As part of our commitment to empowering differently-abled individuals, we donated day-old chicks to boost their poultry business and provided training on preparing smoked chickens to enhance their income.

At the Livingstone Institute for Business and Engineering Studies (LIBES), we organized a comprehensive training session to empower students and faculty with the knowledge and tools to navigate the ever-evolving digital landscape and make informed financial decisions. We also donated six routers to LIBES to enhance connectivity and enable students to access the digital world’s vast opportunities. Connecting Y’ello to Insaka – We Collaborated with Insaka Foundation and provided financial literacy training, insights on starting a creative-based business, and a demonstration of the potential of Al tools to enhance service and product quality while expediting delivery. We showcased how innovation and digital solutions can be leveraged to excel in today’s business landscape by integrating AI technology into the training.

We conducted entrepreneurship and financial literacy training and donated fishing equipment to the women of the Zambezi Fisher Traders Cooperative Society in Mongu, Western Province. Hope for Tomorrow – We also partnered with the Widows of Hope Foundation in Solwezi to empower and uplift these deserving individuals and contribute to their journey of self-reliance and independence through financial and digital literacy training. The Widows of Hope Foundation has been making a significant difference in the lives of over 400 widows and more than 555 orphans. Additionally, we distributed some Ankara clothing to all the women to show our appreciation.

The Tumi Amfweko event focused on empowering marketers in Kitwe. The event brought together a diverse group of 64 women entrepreneurs who are members of the National Traders and Marketers Association of Zambia (NATMAZ). The women entrepreneurs were provided with the knowledge, resources, and networking opportunities necessary to enhance their businesses. These efforts will undoubtedly contribute to the economic empowerment and prosperity of the participating women while positively impacting their communities.

The grand finale of this year’s 21 Days of Y’ello Care was marked by a partnership between MTN Zambia and Every Moment Connections to produce an inspirational film titled “21-Unleash the Power Within” and an application titled “The 21 Day Compass.” This captivating film, soon to hit cinemas, is a testament to the power of transformation and resilience. Produced by youth who have overcome their struggles with addiction, the film conveys the powerful message that it takes 21 days to adopt a new habit. The application is aimed at empowering these youths in their transformation journey. The youths who participated in this initiative were taught skills in cinematography, creative writing, and how to harness their potential and overcome challenges to succeed.

Zambia has over 72 ethnic tribes and this variety of ethnicity adds to the diversity of these traditional ceremonies. The traditional ceremonies are different in nature and are widely spread throughout the country. Some are held to pay respect to ancestors while others celebrate rites of passage or thank the Gods for farming harvests.

MTN Zambia is proud to be part of these communities in which the ceremonies are celebrated, and as a responsible corporate citizen, we make contributions towards the successful hosting of these traditional ceremonies to help preserve them for posterity.