MTN Ghana has launched an Enterprise Support Program aimed at supporting local businesses. The 5-year program would focus on one hundred local businesses to help them develop and market their products. This was made known at the closing ceremony of MTN's 21-days of Yello Care campaign, a staff volunteerism programme at the MTN House in Accra.
Speaking to the media at the closing event Madam Adwoa Afriyie Wiafe, the Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer at MTN Ghana, said that the campaign aimed to impart knowledge and skills to the underprivileged who lacked access to the internet and social media to help them scale up their businesses.
Entrepreneurs throughout the country were taken through good bookkeeping, use of social media, use of smartphones, customer service, customer experience, and financial management.
"After this, we will follow up with some of them to see how they are doing and to help us learn some lessons we can use to improve ourselves next year" she added.
She noted that about 3000 participants had been targeted and these included women, youth, the differently abled, local artisans, and grassroots entrepreneurs. Some Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) such as Empower Now Africa, offered partnership.
Outbound Officer at the Mobile Money Reversal Unit at MTN and a volunteer, Madam Selinam Manu said that she was happy to have taught the entrepreneurs vital skills such as good manners, good product presentation, and how to maintain positive relationships with customers among others.
One of the participants, Madam Fafa of Fafa's Breakfast who manages a fresh yogurt and granola business said in an interview with BusinessGhana that, joining the training program had given her more exposure and visibility. She also acquired social media management skills to help improve her online presence.
The Yello Care programme has been running for the past 16 years from the 1st to the 21st of June every year.
Some entrepreneurs at the ceremony
Madam Selinam Manu, Outbound Officer, MoMo Reversal Unit