from HASSAN ONYANGO in Kampala, Uganda
Uganda Bureau
KAMPALA, (CAJ News) – MORE than 30 young women have graduated in a programme MTN Uganda supports to bridge the technology skills gap in the country.
The initiative, run by the Smart Girls Uganda Foundation, saw the capping of 38 individuals in Kampala on Thursday.
This is a steady increase from 12 in 2023 and 31 in 2024. More than 100 are undergoing training and graced the event..
MTN Uganda has backed the Smart Girls since 2019, having adopted it as a programme under its annual 21 days of #YelloCare, the annual staff volunteerism initiative continent-wide.
The mobile operator initially donated Sh30 million (US$8 191) with the aim of enhancing the girls’ learning experience and the partnership has continued throughout.
The programme continues to focus on skilling and assessment through Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board (UBTEB) and the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT).
The graduation on Friday (today) was under the aegis of the Girls in Tech and Girls With Tools cohort.
“I’m even more grateful now that MTN Uganda has a female CEO,” said Jamala Mayanja, founder and CEO of the foundation.
MTN Uganda CEO, Sylvia Mulinge, was the Guest of Honour at the graduation.
“Over and above the technical abilities that are valued in our society, one of the biggest things is to build citizens that will embody the right leadership quality that will drive this country forward,” Mulinge said.
“We can’t speak about changing this country when we can’t change how our young people are engaging not only with peers and how they are engaging with work and how they are seeking to make a difference in their lives,” Mulinge said.
– CAJ News