MTN heightens preparation ahead of 2025 Y'ello Care programme.

As part of this year’s ambitious agenda, employees across the company’s ten regional branches are mobilising to offer local communities 12 state-of-the-art Digital Learning Centres, a move they say is MTN’s commitment to bridging the digital divide gap in the country.

According to MTN Cameroon, the initiative is a central part of the 2025 Y’ello Care campaign and coincides with MTN Cameroon’s 25th anniversary since its launch in 2007 by the MTN Group.

To the Executive Secretary of the MTN Foundation, Danielle Mbome Efoula, the 21 Days of Y’ello Care permits employees of the 22 subsidiaries to directly engage in impactful social actions, particularly for underprivileged communities.

She noted that this year’s project stands out for its scope and innovation. Each of the ten regions in the country will receive at least one Digital Learning Centre, equipped with over 20 computers, a multifunctional colour printer, a video projection kit, a solar energy production system, furniture, and a year of free internet access. 

In addition, two extra centres will be established based on a panel's assessment of critical need and public interest.

“These Digital Centres will not only introduce communities to digital tools but also serve as vital hubs for learning, certification, and project incubation. Our aim is to promote economic growth and job creation by offering communities the opportunity to improve their activities through the efficient use of digital tools,” Mbome Efoula said.

She explained that these centres will offer more than just hardware. They will become interactive spaces for training, certification programmes, and development labs, hosting MTN’s growing suite of digital learning solutions. 

She noted that the build-up to the implementation of the programme has been meticulously planned. This, she said, started with a nationwide call for project proposals which ended on May 11, with over a hundred applications submitted by community representatives. 

The entries, she said are currently undergoing a selection process. At the end of which the top 100 projects will be unveiled on May 22, after which field assessments will be carried out to determine the top 30 making three per region by May 27.

Mbome Efoula noted that to ensure a participatory and transparent approach, a public vote and expert panel will jointly determine the final 10 beneficiaries with one per region and the result will be expected by May 29. 

She added that based on the recommendations of the expert panel, two additional communities will be selected for the construction of special centres, bringing the total to 12.

To Mbome Efoula, the 21 Days Y’ello Care is an employee-driven and community-focused initiative. 

“From project selection to the physical construction of the centres, MTN employees, local volunteers, and sympathetic private individuals will join hands to bring the facilities to life, starting June 1,” she disclosed.

MTN Cameroon, it should be said, is a subsidiary of the MTN Group, operating in 22 countries worldwide. 

Since its inception in February 2000, MTN Cameroon has grown to become the leading provider of electronic communication and digital payment solutions in the country. Through initiatives like 21 Days of Y’ello Care, the company continues to strengthen its role as a catalyst for national development.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3452 of Thursday May 22, 2025