If gratitude could manifest itself, it would surely take the form of Maimunat Umar, a young recipient of the MTN Business Skills Training in 2019. For her, this is an enduring memory.
“The programme has been advantageous. I’m convinced it was a transformative journey for me and my peers and I envisage a boost in business creation,” she said. In a hall brimming with engaged Kano locals, Maimuna’s forthright reflections on the training were notable.
Prior to experiencing this life-changing moment, she was browsing online when the training opportunity showed up. As a fervent ICT enthusiast, she eagerly applied, clinging to the hope of being selected for the programme.
Five years on, her voice as resonant as ever, her personal evaluation of the recently attended event remains impactful, “I’m immensely thankful for this chance from MTN and aspire for its continued ascent.”
Maimunat’s sentiments about the opportunity provided by the MTN Foundation to enhance business skills are shared.
Muhammad Musa, joining 500 Kano youth at the Bristol Hotel that day, expanded upon Maimunat’s point.
“Basically, the entire programme is designed to uplift the youth, who are the bedrock of any nation’s future. Above all, I’m now convinced that ICT represents the future,” he stopped briefly and then continued, “with over 4 million young people in Kano, a significant number jobless, this initiative is vital in bridging the skills gap.”
90 Million Grant and Over 3000 Recipients
In an ambitious move to empower the nation’s youth, the MTN ICT and Business Skills Training initiative is launched in 2018 targeting young entrepreneurs aged 18 to 35.
This groundbreaking programme is designed to arm them with the latest technology-enabled skills, ensuring their ventures remain at the forefront of the competitive market.
“The ICT and business skills training is one of the interventions that finds expression through donation,” Odunayo Sanya, CEO of MTN Foundation said, “for us the core driver behind the initiative is that entrepreneurship is the engine room, the heartbeat of virtually every nation today.”
Over a span of five weeks, participants engage in an online curriculum, enriched with Masterclasses led by prominent figures from the tech industry.
To facilitate an uninterrupted learning journey, complimentary data is provided throughout the course; 300 participants are expected receive an Equipment Grant totalling a staggering N90,000,000.
Since its inception 6 years ago, the programme has been rolled out across 16 states with over 3,000 beneficiaries.
