Sometimes, it is not the major headlines that resonate most deeply, but the quieter, yet profound stories that echo through our lives. When I stumbled across a headline: ‘Ugandan village celebrates its first clean water source in 90 years,’ in Kyegegwa District, it left a lasting impression.
This was very touching considering the extensive efforts by the government and various organisations to build boreholes across the country to boost access to clean water and sanitation. This reminded me of something that has been on my mind for years: the crucial need for individuals to rethink how they support their communities.
While corporate organisations play a significant role in community interventions, there is so much more that can be achieved when individuals rise to the occasion. The impact is even greater when communities themselves take initiative, creating opportunities for collaboration that lead to deeper and more sustainable change. The MTN Changemakers programme is a prime example of how individual and community-driven efforts can transform lives.
This initiative emerged from the recognition that Ugandans are exceptional dreamers and doers. They have consistently demonstrated remarkable skill, passion, and dedication, transforming challenging circumstances into opportunities for creativity and innovation.
Last year, MTN Uganda, through its philanthropic arm, MTN Foundation, unveiled the MTN Changemakers initiative, to support locals and organisations deeply committed to making a significant impact in their areas. In the initial implementation of the initiative, 25 projects were selected out of nearly 3,000 applicants. These projects were provided with Shs500 million in funding (an average of Shs20 million per project) to ensure they could fulfil their dreams in economic empowerment, education, health, water, and agriculture, aligning with MTN’s ambition 2025 strategy.
The results have been transformative. For instance, MTN Foundation’s support to Souls Rescue Mission, helped construct the first borehole in Kiikuuta Village, Kakabara Sub-county, in Kyegegwa District. This now serves more than 1,000 people. The village, established in 1962, had seen generations of its inhabitants rely on precarious water sources. Villagers’ stories tell of decades spent collecting murky runoff water along dusty roadsides or embarking on long distance treks to Nyakabiso River.
Similarly, in Gulu City, in collaboration with Safe Water Uganda, MTN Foundation funded the construction of four new spring wells. These wells, strategically placed in areas like Pawel Central Cell and Lawiyadul in Laliya Ward, provide more than 8,000 residents with access to clean and safe drinking water, enhancing community health. This might appear surprising that the communities here cannot access piped water, but the fact is they cannot afford monthly bills, and the solution has been these spring wells, which are shared with animals.
In Karamoja Sub-region, the telecom company, in partnership with Tocau Karamoja, a youth-led organisation, focused on empowering the region, and the Nabilatuk District authorities, has repurposed a former detention facility for suspected cattle rustlers into a youth centre to promote digital literacy and education. The refurbished facility now boasts modern amenities, including furniture, a computer lab, and Internet connectivity. These initiatives create significant community change because they tend to have a huge multiplier effect.
These stories of transformation are powerful revelations that the change we want to see in our communities begins with us. The MTN Changemakers initiative illustrates that when local voices are heard and acted upon, the impact is not only immediate but also sustainable.
It is, therefore, time for individuals to not only to rely on projects developed in boardrooms but to also take the initiative to voice their needs directly. Let the communities identify problems or challenges that need to be fixed, and solve them with local solutions that often require minimal resources but have a significant impact.
This dual approach will ensure initiatives are not only impactful but also deeply resonate with the communities they are intended to serve.
Onapito Ekomoloit is the MTN Uganda Foundation Board of Trustees and Corporate Sustainability Initiative expert.
