The MTN SA Foundation is currently running an initiative called Y’ello Care which is looking two tackle two big problems in South Africa during June and July: COVID-10 relief and assisting small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) which have been struggling during the pandemic.

“Over the next two months, the MTN SA Foundation will mobilise employees across the country to focus their volunteerism efforts on three main areas, namely health, food and water security,” says general manager of the MTN SA Foundation, Kusile Mtunzi-Hairwadzi.

To do this the mobile network operator and its employee volunteers will be working with established non-profit organisations which are already working on those three areas in communities across the country.

To involve SMEs in this programme smaller courier and logistics companies will be used to move around required items for these projects as well as personal protection equipment (PPE).

SMEs are also being involved by way of skills transfer where MTN employees can share their experience in fields such as accounting, auditing, ICT, marketing, research and more.

“In the world of business, it is SMEs that are being the hardest hit. Their ability to continue to operate is severely being put to the test. We believe that access to particular skill sets, like ICT and digital marketing, will become critical tools needed to survive. We also believe that this part of the programme will not only give the beneficiary SMEs a lifeline, but that it will assist in creating new job opportunities – helping to drive our economy forward when we come out on the other side,”  Mtunzi-Hairwadzi adds.

While South Africa entered level 3 lockdown just yesterday, allowing more businesses to open, it’s still going to be a tough road for smaller companies to spring back after being unable to conduct business normally for so long. Hopefully initiatives like this can be a helping hand until the pandemic is over.