By Our Reporter
MTN Uganda has kicked off the 2025 edition of 21 Days of Y’ello Care, the company’s annual employee volunteerism initiative. This year’s campaign, themed “Connecting at the Roots – Connecting Communities through Digital Tools,” will run from June 1 to June 21, 2025, and focuses on supporting communities that continue to face barriers to digital access and connectivity.
In line with the group-wide campaign theme, MTN Uganda and its partners including Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, MTN Mobile Money Uganda Ltd, Bayobab, Maendeleo Foundation, AYO Uganda and Roofings Group, Transsion and Xeno Investment Ltd among others, is implementing a series of grassroots’ initiatives aimed at expanding digital inclusion and connectivity in underserved areas.
Planned activities include the provision of full studio equipment for photo and videography, fully paid internet for one year, installation of MTN Skills Academy, tree planting, business mentorship workshops, digital literacy training, solar and rainwater harvesting installations, among others.
Speaking at the official launch event held at Kabalagala Youth Centre in Kampala, Enid Edroma, General Manager, Corporate Services at MTN Uganda said: “The digital divide is not just a technology issue—it’s a social and economic one. This year’s Y’ello Care campaign is about responding to that challenge with care, collaboration, and long-term thinking. Our teams are working with local partners and communities to develop practical solutions that meet real needs, particularly in areas where connectivity is limited.”
MTN Uganda, in partnership with KCCA, has supported the Kabalagala Youth Centre with a fully equipped creative studio featuring video and photography to facilitate digital marketing and digital content creation. Additional support includes tree-planting, garbage recycling for green jobs, business mentorship, and landscaping to enhance sports and provide urban youth with opportunities for self-employment in Kampala.
The Centre, which has trained thousands of youth since 2017, is among several grassroots institutions benefiting from the 2025 21 Days of Y’ello Care campaign.
MTN Uganda is also extending this initiative to other regions: partnering with the Nnabagereka Development Foundation to support agribusiness among youth in Luwero District in the Greater Central region; promoting digital tourism and HIV/AIDS awareness in Tooro Kingdom in the western region; addressing teenage pregnancies through digital education in Ker Alur Kingdom in the northern region; and enhancing vocational skills and youth empowerment with the help of technology in Busoga Kingdom in the eastern region.
These interventions, valued at over UGX 500 million, reflect MTN Uganda’s commitment to digital inclusion and community transformation.
Now in its 18th year, Y’ello Care is MTN’s flagship group-wide employee volunteering initiative that encourages staff (MTNers) to volunteer their time and expertise to support positive social change. The campaign reflects MTN’s purpose of enabling the benefits of a modern connected life for everyone and is anchored in the company’s core values.
“Y’ello Care is a reflection of how we work and what we stand for,” Edroma added. “This year, we are focusing on places where even modest gains in digital access and connectivity can open the door to long-term opportunity.”
Daniel Kaserengenyi, Deputy Director of Gender, Community Services, and Production at Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), speaking on behalf of Executive Director Sharifah Buzeki, welcomed the initiative, saying: “Access to digital tools has become increasingly vital for education, healthcare, and economic opportunity. We commend MTN Uganda for partnering with local communities to bridge these gaps in a way that is both sustainable and inclusive. Initiatives like this demonstrate the powerful impact that can be achieved when the private sector and communities work together with a shared vision.”
“TECNO is excited to join MTN’s Y’ello Care initiative to support football in Uganda and empower the next generation. Together, we celebrate the spirit of the game and uplift local talent,” Laura, Marketing Manager for TECNO mobile phones in Uganda.
“It has been such an honor to ask questions, gain knowledge, and be inspired. I would like to sincerely appreciate MTN Y’ello Care for providing such a powerful leadership platform and for finding meaningful ways to positively influence young people,” added Pastor Mike Preson, CEO,Burn Radio, organization that deals in digital literacy.