118 women chosen to be MTN service providers
![118 women chosen to be MTN service providers](../admin/images/MTN - AWE MTN Uganda CEO Sylvia Mulinge leads key partners in launching the MTN AWE accelerator programme in Kampala on March.19,2024..jpg)
LUCRATIVE: MTN Uganda officials and other partners pose for a group photo with the over 100 women entrepreneurs who are part of the MTN�s AWE accelerator programme. COURTESY PHOTO/BUSINESS EDGE
MTN Uganda has unveiled more than 100 women entrepreneurs who are to provide goods and services to the telecommunications giant, as a new initiative aimed at empowering and uplifting women-led businesses in the country.
Speaking at the unveiling event at their headquarters in Kampala, Sylvia Mulinge, the MTN Uganda CEO, said the selected women had demonstrated exceptional skills, passion, and determination; showcasing the incredible potential and versatility of female-led businesses in Uganda.
"We are thrilled to unveil these remarkable women entrepreneurs who have not only met but exceeded our expectations," said Mulinge.
- "By choosing these women entrepreneurs as service providers to MTN Uganda, we are not just investing in their businesses; we are investing in the future of Uganda. We believe that by empowering women economically, we create a ripple effect that benefits families, communities, and ultimately, our nation's prosperity."
MTN Uganda is currently not only the country's most valuable company, best employer and the top taxpayer, but also offers the most attractive rates for suppliers of goods and services.
The new initiative specifically targeting women suppliers is part of the Advancing Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) programme, which the company launched in October last year, with the objective of growing the female supplier base, enhancing the capacity of women businesses through skills development as well as building sustainable business eco-systems through mentorship and coaching programmes.
- "By enlisting these exceptional 118 women entrepreneurs as part of the MTN supplier base, I am pleased to note that we have moved the needle from 7% women suppliers in 2023 to 15% in 2024," Mulinge noted.
Speaking at the same event, chief guest Prof. Gudula Naiga Basaza, who also doubles as the Chairperson of the Uganda Women Entrepreneurs Limited (UWEAL), advised the women entrepreneurs to be focused, resilient, tenacious and compliant, for their businesses to thrive.
Also in attendance were several partners and mentors that are working with MTN to ensure the successful implementation of the AWE programme.
They include DFCU Bank, Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU), NSSF Hi Innovators, ATC, UN Women, The Innovation Village, and MTN MoMo.
Ms Paulina Chiwangu, the UN Women Country Representative to Uganda, urged women to work together if they are to eliminate all forms of violence against women and to ensure that peace and security prevail above all else for their businesses to thrive.
- Mr. Richard Yego, the MTN MoMo CEO, said they are working to ensure that as many women as possible are assimilated into the mobile money eco-system.