KAMPALA, UGANDA – MTN Uganda, in partnership with Smart Girls Foundation, announced Friday the graduation of 298 youths from its “Girls in Tech” and “Girls with Tools” programs, aimed at reducing youth unemployment and bridging the digital skills gap in Uganda.
The cohort included 248 young women who received training in information and communication technology (ICT) skills, and 50 learners, including women, who gained vocational skills in traditionally male-dominated trades such as electrical installation, plumbing and tailoring. This initiative aligns with MTN’s “Ambition 2025” strategy to accelerate Africa’s digital transformation through youth empowerment.
“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 fiber and digital infrastructure unit. “They are equipped to lead Uganda’s digital future.”
Uganda faces significant youth unemployment, with more than 70% of its population under 30 and a national youth unemployment rate of 16.3%, according to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics. Young women particularly face challenges with limited access to technology, skills and financing.
Since 2019, MTN Uganda and Smart Girls Foundation have trained more than 1,100 youths, predominantly women, in digital and ICT skills, and an additional 116 in vocational trades. The program supports Uganda’s Vision 2040, the fourth National Development Plan and the U.N. 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.”
Graduates expressed optimism about their new skills. Nicholas Otim, an ICT trainee, said the program provided “confidence and technical knowledge to launch my own digital skills training center.” Maria Nakibule, a plumbing graduate, noted the training offered a “clearer path to income and independence.”
Government officials at the graduation praised the initiative for its alignment with national education priorities.
“What we’re seeing here is not just training; it’s transformation,” said Maria Lubega, deputy resident district commissioner for Kasangati Town Council in Wakiso District. “This is the kind of public-private effort that can shift the narrative for our youth.”
MTN’s investment in these programs, alongside others like the MTN Ace program and MTN Skills Academy, is part of its broader effort to extend digital inclusion across Uganda and ensure young people, especially women, are not left behind in Africa’s growing tech economy.
