As part of its annual Y’ello Care initiative, MTN Ghana has taken steps to integrate technology into vocational training for students at the Opportunity Industrialisation Centre (OIC) in Accra.
The 21 Days of Y’ello Care is MTN’s flagship employee volunteerism initiative, during which staff dedicate their time and resources to community development efforts across all 16 regions of Ghana.
This year’s 2025 initiative is themed “Connecting at the Root: Connecting Communities through Digital Tools”.
This year’s activities will focus on equipping young people, women, persons with disabilities, and small businesses with digital skills to thrive in today’s economy.
Speaking during a visit to the Opportunity Industrialisation Centre (OIC, Education Portfolio Advisor at MTN Ghana, Ebenezer Terpkeh, noted the organisation’s aim to expose students to emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT), alongside their hands-on skills in sewing, carpentry, auto mechanics and block-laying.
“Today our employee volunteers came to continue with the students’ sewing project, but we also wanted to go beyond technical work and introduce them to the possibilities of technology.
“They went into classrooms to motivate the students and expose them to emergency technologies and how these can enhance their vocational skills,” e explained
As part of the project, MTN is supporting the production of 500 school uniforms for selected private schools in the Central Region — 300 of which are being sewn at the OIC Accra campus, with the remaining 200 underway at the centre’s Kumasi branch.
MTN staff have been hands-on, assisting with ironing, stitching, and button-fixing to ensure high-quality finishing.
The Y’ello Care campaign runs for 21 days, and the uniforms will be completed and distributed during the last week if the Y’ello Care initiative.
According to Ebenezer Terpkeh MTN ’s broader “Y’ello Care” agenda includes three main pillars: Digi-Connects, Agri-Connect, and Clay Connector.
He added that under Digi-Connects, young people are being trained in social media marketing, mobile phone repairs, content creation, and digital literacy.
In the Northern Region, Agri-Connect is helping farmers develop smart farms using IoT-controlled irrigation and pest management.
Meanwhile, in Tovome, the Clay Connector initiative is modernising the pottery trade by introducing advanced tools, design simulations, and improved production facilities for local women.
“Our aim is to embed technology in traditional skills to create more opportunities and improve livelihoods,” Terpkeh added.
