How MTN Nigeria Foundation is Breaking the Barrier of Economic Empowerment
Festus Akanbi writes on MTN Nigeria’s Scholarship scheme after an encounter with a beneficiary who described the scheme as a catalyst for economic empowerment
Apart from the growing incidence of graduate unemployment, one other major problem confronting the nation’s economy is the prohibitive cost of sound education capable of making potential university graduate self-sufficient or good enough to compete with peers from other climes. In Nigeria, corporate bodies are encouraged to make significant impact through the various corporate social responsibility projects in the communities where they operate. Consequently, organisations with the support of their shareholders and patrons have made it a point of duty to earmark certain amount of their revenues to improve the living condition of members of their immediate communities. For communications giant, MTN Nigeria, the focus is a knowledge-based support manifesting in the scholarship programme. Apart from the spirit of competition and scholarship which the programme engenders in university students, the programme has come as a great opportunity for brilliant students who ordinarily would not have been able to finance their education to a satisfactory level. Breaking the Barrier This is the testimony of Mufutau Akuruyejo, a 500 level Computer Engineering student of the University of Lagos, Akoka. The second of two children, Mufutau has always expressed his interest in ICT hence his decision on his course of study. His brilliance helped him to win an MTN Nigeria Foundation (MTNNF) scholarship and he has maintained the required minimum CGPA of 3.50 which allowed him to continue receiving the scholarship worth N200, 000 per session Mufutau is the first Nigerian and African to be selected for the ICT training programme in CERN Openlab, Switzerland. He speaks on how the MTNN Foundation scholarship has impacted on his education and his expectations from the nine-week ICT training programme in Switzerland. Becoming a MTNN Foundation Scholar Telling his story, Mufutau said, “As a second year student in 2012, I saw an advert on the MTN Nigeria Foundation website requesting for application into a scholarship scheme by the Foundation. I forwarded my application and I was invited for an exam which I passed. Since then, I have diligently worked at maintaining my CGPA to meet up with the required 3.50 standard. Based on this, I have enjoyed the scholarship worth N200, 000.00. “Early this year, there was another post on the MTNNF Facebook page requesting for applicants to take part in a nine-week advanced IT project. Some of the skills required for eligibility are: project management skills, data base skill, analytic framework and an understanding of Linux applications. I applied for the project and after a rigorous selection exercise which included recommendation from my department, I was selected. Impact of the MTNNF scholarship on educational goal “The scholarship has a positive impact on my education. The difference between an average student and a very brilliant student is the extra mile walked by the very brilliant student. The MTNNF scholarship has really helped me resolve financial challenges that could have limited my capabilities to go the extra mile; getting requisite course materials for my study. The MTNNF scholarship has greatly added value to my academic pursuit and my life generally. Expectations “I feel highly elated to have been selected. For me, it is a dream come true. The first time I received the call; I was doubtful and needed the caller’s repeated assurance that I have been selected. Right now, I am strategising on how to maximise this opportunity while in Switzerland. This is an opportunity of a life time and I will forever be grateful to MTNN Foundation and Oracle. I hope to learn enough about Oracle data base while I also make enquiries on possibilities of furthering my education; probably as an intern in a research institute because I am very passionate about technology. Through education, a whole community can be librated and only skills like this can bring about such change.” Advice for ther Fellow Nigerian Youth The award winner was quick to add that nothing comes easy. According to him, “Hard work pays. When your achievement is based on merit, it takes you very far. Whatever you get on merit will be sustainable. With hard work and dedication, it may be easier to get to the pinnacle of your career. Personalities like Bill Gates owner of Microsoft; Larry Ellison, the CEO, Oracle and a host of other people who worked hard to get to where they are today inspire me. To my fellow Nigerian youth, there is always a reward for hard work.” The MTN Nigeria Foundation Limited was established for the purpose of focusing MTN Nigeria’s efforts in terms of its Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives to help reduce poverty and foster sustainable development in Nigeria. In September 2004, MTN Nigeria Communications Limited consulted with a diverse group of stakeholders across the country to ascertain the needs of the Nigerian people. The findings of this rich consultative process enabled the development of a more focused strategy under the three portfolio areas, Education, Health and Economic Empowerment. In conjunction with local and international partner organisations, MTN Nigeria Foundation remains committed to improving individual and communal lives through social investment projects that nurture people’s inherent abilities, care for and respect people’s dignity and help create economic value in their lives. The Foundation has been able to produce an overall positive impact on society, as evidenced in the numerous awards it has received over the years.