By Mickie Langwenya
MBABANE – MTN Eswatini, in conjunction with other organizations, is working towards eradicating the high unemployment rate amongst the young people in the kingdom.
According to Mandla Luphondvo, MTN’s Corporate Affairs Manager, following that it has been two years since MTN has not hosted the 21 days of Y’ello care campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the time has come to give back to the community.
In fact, as from last year, MTN implemented a youth empowerment programme on small scale in order to respond to the widespread challenge of youth unemployment.
Luphondvo stated that, “Last year MTN partnered with National Agricultural Marketing Board (NAMBoard) and Swazi Empowerment Limited (SEL) to implement an E1.2 million worth project. The initiative targeted 25 young people who now produce vegetables in tunnels while Namboard provides linkage to markets,”
He stated that MTN is doing it again even this year, as from next month, together with other organizations, the company will implement some small-scale projects that are aimed at addressing youth unemployment.
He said some of the projects included the renovation of greenhouses in readiness for vegetable production at Ntsabankhulu and Maphilingo area to contribute towards economic growth, food security, and sustainable livelihoods.
This, he said, seeks to empower the young people to set up greenhouses and acquire entrepreneurial skills, market linkages, mentorship, and agriculture education.
Luphondvo explained that these initiatives target to benefit over 100 lives.
He said in addition, schools from the Shiselweni region are set to benefit. This will be through the construction of four blocks of classrooms together with ablutions for 138 students and eight teachers.
Sandile Dlamini, one of the beneficiaries of MTNs Greenhouses project implemented last year, under the Lundzi constituency, said he has learned a lot about the agriculture business as MTNs initiative equipped them about tunnel vegetable production. Dlamini is a member of Lundzi Youth Farmers which is a youth enterprise made up of 16 young people from a small town called Mlobane under Lundzi constituency that was funded by MTN an amount of 1Million to start their tunnel vegetable enterprise.
