MTN’s E110 000 for youth with disabilities

MZIMPOFU – MTN Eswatini contributed E110 000 towards the purchase of equipment and material for Ekululameni entrepreneurs.

The 15 beneficiaries are young people with disabilities, specifically the visually impaired, physical and epileptic, who have undergone training in fields such as soap manufacturing, knitting, sewing, carpentry, piggery and leather work.

The young people, who hail from different parts of the country, were identified by Junior Achievement (JA) Eswatini, as the organisation works with people with disabilities under their all-inclusive training in business skills.

They won cash prizes ranging from E3 000 to E11 500 per person, which will be used to buy the equipment they requested.

JA Executive Director Phetsile Masilela explained that her organisation would purchase the equipment and material as outlined by the entrepreneurs in their individual business plans. She said: “We will then deliver the items at the individual’s home and further mentor them for a period of six months to make sure they are able to utilise the items and perform according to their business plans.”

Masilela said JA would then link the young businesspeople with business funders like Eswatini Development Finance Corporation (FINCORP) as they may need them for business expansion.

It is during her remarks that she also mentioned that JA offered entrepreneurship modules in Braille for people with visual impairment.

MTN Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Wandile Mtshali commended the trainees for showing interest in acquiring business skills and venturing into business. He said MTN was happy to see them through training, start-up and sustaining business.

“MTN is where it is today because of your support. We would really like to help you as you position yourselves to making an economic difference.”

Bongani Makama, the President of the Federation of the Disabled in Swaziland (FODSWA), expressed appreciation for MTN’s gesture and JA’s inclusiveness on empowering young people.

He applauded MTN for the recently-introduced virtual call centre, which caters for people with disabilities.

This project was one of the youth-focused business empowerment programmes that MTN embarked on under this year’s 21 Days of Yello Care Campaign themed ‘Empowering Entrepreneurship to Unlock Growth and Job Creation’.

Siko Nyamane (2nd L) received a E7 000 cash injection for his carpentry business.

(Courtesy pics) Colile Dlamini (2nd L) and Ncamiso Maseko (3rd L) received E4 000 each for their cleaning products and MoMo businesses. They are with MTN CEO Wandile Mtshali, JA President Phetsile Masilela and FODSWA President Bongani Makama.