MTN Uganda, in partnership with Smart Girls Foundation, has graduated 298 youths under the Girls in Tech and Girls with Tools initiatives, expanding efforts to reduce youth unemployment and close the digital skills gap in one of Africa’s youngest nations. The cohort included 248 female youth trained in ICT skills and 50 learners equipped with vocational competencies in male-dominated trades such as electrical installation and plumbing. The programme is part of MTN’s broader investment in youth empowerment under its Ambition 2025 strategy, which seeks to accelerate Africa’s digital transformation. “Today, these graduates prove that change is not only possible; it is happening,†said Juliet Kakayi Nsubuga, Managing Director of Bayobab Uganda, MTN Group’s fibre and digital infrastructure unit. “They are equipped to lead Uganda’s digital future, and we are proud to stand with them on this journey.†Founded in 2012 in Gayaza, Smart Girls Foundation a non-profit, girl-centered, development organization that empowers girls and mentors’ them in health, education. Uganda, with over 70% of its population under 30, faces persistent youth unemployment, which currently stands at 16.3%, according to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics. For young women, the challenges are exacerbated by limited access to technology, skills, and financing. Since 2019, MTN Uganda and Smart Girls Foundation have trained over 1,100 youths mainly females in digital and ICT skills, and 116 others in vocational trades. The programme aligns with Uganda’s Vision 2040, the fourth National Development Plan and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which emphasize education, innovation, and gender equality. “This partnership has scaled significantly over the past few years,†said Jamila Mayanja, founder of Smart Girls Foundation. “We started with 30 girls in mechanics. Today, we’re talking about hundreds of young women stepping into high-potential sectors like tech and energy.†Nicolas Otim, who completed the ICT training, said the programme was a springboard to entrepreneurship. “I now have the confidence and technical knowledge to launch my own digital skills training centre for youths in my community,†she said. Maria Nakibule a graduate in plumbing, said the training has given her a “clearer path to earn income and gain independence.†The Girls with Tools project hosts hands – on courses for young women looking to be trained in vocational areas considered to be nontraditional for women. These areas include, but are not limited to: machinery, welding, automotive mechanics, electrical engineering, ICT and tailoring. Government officials at the event welcomed the initiative’s alignment with national education priorities.
