Find out information about Coronavirus in Uganda. More here.

By Our Reporter

BIC East Africa, manufactures of BIC pens, lighters, and shavers, has donated UGX 50 million worth of pens to the Ministry of Education & Sports. The donation comes in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic that has left schools shut down.

Richard Mugenyi, the Bic Country Manager said the donation is aimed at boosting the government’s efforts in providing study material to students as they continue to stay grounded at home.

“We are making a donation of 100,000 BIC Pens to the Ministry of Education & Sport to help in the government program of providing study material during this lockdown. Our total contribution is equivalent to Ugx 50,000,000/=.” Said Richard Mugenyi while handing over the donation.

The donation which was handed over to Office of the Prime Minister on Wednesday is in response to the President’s call to the private sector for support to government’s Coronavirus relief efforts.

The COVID-19 National Task force has so far received contributions in excess of Ugx 21 billon from individuals, corporate companies and well wishers.

Find out information about Coronavirus in Uganda. More here.

Students do not need MBS to be able to access the sites as they are free of charge

The gesture is part of the initiatives that MTN Uganda has put in place during the lockdown to make the lives of her communities a bit easier. 

MTN Uganda has zero rated a number of Universities online learning platforms allowing students and lecturers free access to study at home during this period of the COVID 19 lockdown.

This means that no data charges will apply to these educational websites as students and lecturers will be able to utilise them to continue with learning and teaching from home. 

Like all other education institutions, the universities officially closed on March 20 after a directive from President Yoweri Museveni that all places of mass concentration suspend their operations to prevent the spread of Covid19. 

Below is a list of the learning platforms that have been zero rated.

Makerere University Vice Chancellor Prof Barnabas Nawangwe has lauded telecommunications giant for this gesture saying it will go a long way in enabling students catch up on lost study time as they will now have access to the study materials at no cost.

 “Our negotiations with MTN Uganda yielded a lot of fruit as the telecom company has accepted to zero rate six of our online learning platforms. We applaud them for this. I now urge our students and lectures to take advantage of this opportunity,” he said. 

At the onset of the lockdown, MTN Uganda also zero rated a number of e-learning platforms targeting the primary and secondary students, a move which several parents lauded as it enabled them to continue their children’s learning at home.

The other websites that MTN Uganda zero rated targeting pupils and high school students include:

MTN Uganda’s Chief Marketing Officer Sen Somdev said the telecom company is committed to standing together with Ugandans by doing everything it can to reduce the impact that the lockdown is having on their lives.  

“MTN Uganda will continue to look at ways of supporting our communities and government, to ensure that together, we do everything feasible to get through this difficult time,” Somdev said.

Find out information about Coronavirus in Uganda. More here.

By Our Reporter

Ugandans responded to a call by the Uganda Red Cross society and have contributed shs21.9million towards the society’s efforts in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The contributions were made through a MoMoPay merchant code that MTN Uganda launched in April as one of the telecom company’s interventions in the fight against the deadly virus. Through the merchant code *165*3*191919# MTN customers are in position to make donations of any amount toward the efforts to combat COVID-19.

Robert Kwesiga, the General Secretary Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) said at the launch of the Merchant code that the donations would be used to procure and provide essential food assistance to the most vulnerable households whose livelihoods, from their informal jobs, have been adversely affected by the partial lockdown instituted in response to COVID19 pandemic in Uganda. This is to complement government efforts.

Speaking after receiving the money from MTN Uganda on behalf of Red Cross, Dr. Josephine Okwera, the Director Health and Social Services at URCS was elated that Ugandans had responded positively to the call, but said the struggle is still on and needs more generous Ugandans to come on board.

“We would really like to thank the community for responding to our call. This money will go a long way in making the lives of some people easier during this hard time. But as you are all aware, the lockdown has been extended so we call upon more Ugandans to come on board so we can rescue those that are worst hit due to the lockdown,” Okwera said.

MTN Uganda’s Senior Manager corporate affairs and Public Relations, Ms. Rhona Arinaitwe reiterated the company’s commitment to stand together with Ugandans by doing everything it can to reduce the impact that covid19 is having on their lives. She committed that, “MTN Uganda will continue to look at ways of supporting our communities and government, to ensure that together, we do everything feasible to get through this difficult time.”

Arinaitwe further noted that the merchant code *165*3*191919# will remain open to the public who wish to donate towards the fight against the COVID19 pandemic. The money collected from the merchant code henceforth will be channeled to the National COVID19 Task Force to support their efforts in alleviating the devastating effects of the pandemic.

MTN Uganda, like other organisations responded to governments call to support her efforts in the COVID19 fight. MTN zero rated mobile money sending transactions of any amount, contributed shs290million to Uganda Red Cross society to support the society’s efforts, and contributed another shs220million to National Water to deliver water to water stressed communities in and around Kampala.

The telecom company also handed over three brand new pickup trucks to the COVID 19 task force as a response to the President’s call for cars.

Find out information about Coronavirus in Uganda. More here.

By Our Reporter

During one of his recent National Addresses on COVID-19, President Museveni urged all companies and individuals who can, to donate brand new 4×4 vehicles to the COVID-19 Task Force to help in the fight against the pandemic.

Brig. Gen John Mugyenyi, a retired senior Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) officer, has heeded the call and on Monday donated a brand new 4×4 Isuzu pickup truck to the COVID-19 National Task Force to boost their efforts in the fight against the pandemic.

The multipurpose vehicle was handed over by his beloved wife Mrs Hope Mugyenyi to the Minister for General Duties Hon. Mary Karooro Okurut, who is also an appointee by President Yoweri Museveni to oversee the fundraising efforts and to monitor funds donated to the COVID-19 Task Force.

While handing over the vehicle, Mrs. Mugyenyi said that; “Brigadier General Mugyenyi has donated a Double-Cabin pick truck to the National Response Fund following President Museveni’s appeal to individuals and companies to donate towards the fight of COVID-19. He is happy to support the President and the government initiative in the fight against COVID-19.”

Commending Brig. Gen. Mugyenyi for the generous gesture, Hon. Karooro said that; “We appreciate all this generosity and contribution by Brig-Gen John Mugyenyi that will aid the COVID-19 National Task force in providing medical teams countrywide with a means of transport that improves their effort to fight the pandemic.”