June 2nd 2010: MTN has ended the 2010 edition of the annual MTN staff volunteerism challenge, 21 Days of Y’ello Care, which took place from May 1 – 21, under the theme, UNITED WE CARE FOR OUR COMMUNITIES!

During the period, staff of the company across its 21 operations globally engaged in activities that sought to drive the fight against malaria and promote education across communities in which the company operates. In addition to executing global initiatives like United Against Malaria and 1 Goal campaign, MTN also used its sponsorship of the 2010 FIFA World Cup to collectively champion football-related initiatives.

Staff began this year’s exercise with a campaign to kick out Malaria in our communities. Across several communities in the country, staff engaged residents in Malaria Awareness Sensitization and Screening, Treatment and Distribution of mosquito nets. About 200 staff also donated blood to support the National Blood Bank. The supported to face-lift some major departments of the Koforidua General Hospital and Adabraka Polyclinic. Departments such the Children’s wards, antenatal, diabetic and psychiatric wards all were refurbished during the exercise. Staff provided ceiling for the Out Patient Department of the Adabraka Polyclinic which has for some time now been functioning without one. Nursing mothers were also provided with Insecticide Treated Mosquito Nets. At Chorkor, more than 350 residents were registered onto the National Health Insurance scheme through funds raised by staff of MTN. The popular ‘What Do You Know” quiz competition on GTV featured staff of MTN on the 16th May 2010. The competition among staff undoubtedly contributed to the malaria awareness campaign.

On education, The Nima cluster of schools and five other schools in the country benefited from the launch of the MTN “Happy Minds Reading Clubs”. Speaking at the launch, Mr. George Andah extolled the benefits of the project saying that reading is the surest way to gain a positive foothold into a child’s life. MTN staff also visited the Akropong School of the blind and the deaf where they socialized and donated blind-friendly books to the inmates.  At the Korle bu, MTN staff engaged professionals of the nursing school as well as Doctors, Nurses, Front Desk Executives and others on how to deliver services that create customer satisfaction and delight. It is believed that if our health professionals can help to practice customer-centered profession, there will be a significant improvement in health delivery in the country.

As sponsors of the FIFA 2010 World Cup, the 21 Days Y’ello Care exercise could not have gone without soccer and its related activities. At the Radiant Way School, staff grassed the football pitch and erected the goal posts to whip the interest of students in the game of football. In addition, a football clinic was organized in three regions in the country. The clinic sought to take young football enthusiasts through some mental preparedness for their career. Children in Tema Manhean were taken through how to effectively balance their social, educational and football lifestyles. MTN organized this in conjunction with the 2009 Premier League Champions Accra Hearts of Oak. The League Goal, King Samuel Affun was one of the instructors. About 7 other corporate organizations were engaged in a football gala during the Y’ello Care exercise to raise funds for the purchase of more mosquito nets for distribution to residents in the various communities.