The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and Ghana’s leading telecommunications operator, MTN-Ghana, have signed a partnership agreement to implement an innovative nationwide youth empowerment project known as the Digital Youth Empowerment Project.
The initial phase of the project, seeks to empower at least 1,000 Ghanaian youth aged between 18 and 30, across the country. The project will offer mentoring and coaching workshops, support for development of business plans for ICT start-ups and direct start-up support services. The project will also create a dedicated web platform known as the Digital Youth Infobank that will allow the youth to network, learn and share ideas on digital innovations and entrepreneurship.
At a signing ceremony held in Accra on July 24, 2015, the Executive Director of the MFWA, Sulemana Braimah, expressed his appreciation to MTN Ghana for offering support for the Project.
“There are many young unemployed Ghanaians who are very enthusiastic about developing careers in ICTs and others have developed great applications and are just looking for platforms to showcase their innovations. The Digital Youth Empowerment Project is one that has been strategically designed to respond to the needs and aspirations of young, ambitious Ghanaians to take advantage of the growing digital space to become digital entrepreneurs and innovators,” said Braimah.
He explained that unlike other initiatives, the Digital Youth Empowerment project is not a one-off event or awards ceremony but a long-term initiative to increase ICT-led development initiatives, innovation and digital entrepreneurship among Ghanaian youth.
On her part, the Corporate Services Executive of MTN Ghana, Mrs. Cynthia Lumor, said MTN Ghana remains committed to contributing significantly to the development of Ghana and thus, finds it a great opportunity to support a project that seeks to empower Ghanaian youth.
“We are very passionate and committed to supporting MFWA’s Digital Youth Empowerment Project because it is a project that is fully in line with MTN’s vision of leading the delivery of bold, new Digital World to our customers,” said Mrs. Lumor.
The Digital Youth Empowerment project forms part of MFWA’s regional (West Africa) Internet Freedom Programme supported by the UK-based Global Partners Digital.