MTN poised to leave legacy

Phuthuma Nhleko THE MTN Ghana Foundation has promised that this year's “21 Days of Y'ello Care Challenge” will focus more on enhancing the lifestyles of Ghanaians, by providing community services to customers and communities that have contributed to their success story.

The “21 Days of Y'ello Care Challenge” was instituted in 2007 by the Group CEO and President, Phuthuma Nhleko as an annual community care programme across all MTN operations aimed at encouraging staff volunteerism.

This year's programme is the 3rd edition and will run from 1st -21st of June 2009, under the theme: 'Enriching our communities, leaving a sustainable legacy.”

According to Mawuena Dumor, the Corporate Services Executive of MTN and the Executive Director of the Foundation, the Ghana operating unit was adjudged the Western & Central Africa (WECA) regional champions for last year's event.

She said the WECA Region is the largest region in the MTN Group, comprising nine operating countries including Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon among others.

“This win is therefore especially exciting for employees of the Ghana Operating Unit,” she added.

Some activities outlined for this year's programme include directing traffic on selected highways, interaction with physically challenged students, clean up campaign & painting of Zebra crossing, blood donation exercise, painting of schools, tree planting and landscaping activity, and filling of pot holes on selected streets among other activities.

The MTN Ghana Foundation is an umbrella organization that manages and directs the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme of MTN Ghana.

The objective of the foundation is to enhance the socio-economic development of Ghanaians, by focusing on health and education and was officially launched in November 2007.

The 21 Days of Y'ello Care Challenge which has a competitive component between MTN operations which was launched by the foundation, has proved to be a phenomenal success profiling MTN's commitment to development as a socially responsible company.

The Ghana team undertook sixteen projects in the three week multi-regional programme for 2008 as compared to two projects in the inaugural year and this culminated in a total participation number of 783 which represents 50.88 percent of the total staff population.

By Esther Awuah