MTN SA Foundation Launches Nation-Wide Programme to Help Communities Amid the Pandemic

With South Africans and small businesses being the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, the MTN SA Foundation launched a major national initiative to give back and offer lasting support to the communities that MTN serves. This past week saw the MTN SA Foundation contributing food and personal protective equipment (PPE) in Limpopo to help limit the spread of the virus and keep more people safe and healthy.

MTN’s Y’ello Hope programme aims to assist the communities during times of societal crises and natural disasters. The programme further aims to invest in or assist with initiatives which support disaster relief and rebuilding efforts following humanitarian incidents, disaster prevention and management and the ongoing pandemic. The disaster support programme is underpinned by the UN’s SDG 3 and SDG 8. The Y’ello Hope programme has been scheduled to run for the full months of June, July and August, and is aimed at providing a wide range of interventions, while assisting many people across all nine provinces in SA.

Thanks to this initiative, the MTN SA Foundation contributed R120 000 for food hampers and PPE to be handed over at the Bob Mmola Drop-in Center, a non-profit organisation that primarily provides care and support for orphans and vulnerable children to the community.

“At MTN we believe that everybody deserves the benefits of a modern connected life. The hardship caused by COVID-19 cuts deep and has hindered many hopes and dreams for people. Now is the time for us all to work harder together to provide support.

The beneficiaries of Y’ello Hope are all in disadvantaged areas and are facing severe socio-economic challenges. What COVID-19 has highlighted is that the immediate challenges faced are lack of adequate health resources, food security due to loss of income, and clean water in several communities. We’ve committed ourselves to help in a structured, tangible way, that makes sense in our province, and can bring back hope.”

Kagiso Moncho, Regional General Manager, MTN Limpopo

In the wake of South African unrest that took place between the 9th to 17th of July 2021, wider rioting and looting, fueled by job layoffs and economic inequality and worsened the effects of the pandemic, the Y’ello Hope programme mobilised MTNers to pledge their time, expertise, and resources to create a positive impact in the communities and further help mitigate the impact of the unrest and COVID-19.

“Limpopo has not been spared from the devastating effects of the pandemic as poverty, inequality and unemployment worsen. So, in addition to supporting a range of government-led relief efforts over the past few months, MTN and its staff aim to do far more. Together, we can ensure a brighter future awaits our province, our country and its people.”

Kagiso Moncho, Regional General Manager, MTN Limpopo