After 21 days of volunteering time, skills, resources to promote the cause of education in their various communities, staff of MTN Nigeria came together to celebrate the end of their annual staff volunteerism programme, ‘21 Days of Y’ello Care’ at its headquarters in Lagos.
Some celebrities including Iyanya, Praiz, Frank Edoho (of defunct Who Wants to Be A millionaire), and students from various schools as well as beneficiaries of some of the projects instituted by the MTN Nigeria staff graced the closing ceremony.
Business Hilights recalls that 21 Days of Yello Care is a yearly programme launched by the MTN Group in 2006 to encourage members of staff in its 22 operations across Africa, Asia and the Middle East to step out of their offices, volunteer resources, time and skills to the benefit of their communities.
The theme of this year’s event was “Investing in Education for All,” which was in consonance with the global movement to make education accessible and compulsory for all and sundry across the world.
In this year’s programme, the Nigerian operation engaged in various activities ranging from supporting some schools for the blind, hearing impaired, IDP camps, orphanage homes and other schools.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Chief Executive Officer, MTN Nigeria, Ferdi Moolman, who was represented by the Chief Enterprise Business Officer, Lynda Saint-Nwafor, spoke on some of the projects completed by MTN staff.
These include Tech-A-Thon (a coding and programming session) for secondary school students; An excursion to the MTN Network Management Centre and the MTN Data Centre by secondary school students; Three (3) teacher training sessions on the use of ICT as a teaching aid in Lagos and Enugu States; The upgrade of a computer laboratory to a digital e-learning facility at a school in Lagos State; Provision of ICT labs to schools in Ogun and Kogi States, and an IDP Camp in Nasarawa State.
Others include Provision of e-learning devices and materials to special schools- Pacelli School of the Blind and the Wesley School of the Hearing Impaired in Lagos State; Donations to remand homes and correctional centres in Lagos and Plateau States; The set-up of several mini ICT labs as well as donations and interventions to improve the quality of education in thirteen (13) schools across the country; The first ever Y’ello Care Family Day where MTN staff and their family members made donations to three (3) orphanages in Lagos and Delta States and Abuja.
A major highlight of the closing ceremony was a keenly contested quiz competition among six schools, which was eventually won by Eti Osa Community Senior High School; Girls Academy took 2nd place and Akande Dahunsi Memorial High School took the 3rd place.
The winning school received a set of school furniture, the first runner-up received series of textbooks and projector screen while the 2nd runner-up got a set of textbooks.
