MTN Uganda empowers families of children with autism through skills training initiative

MTN Uganda empowers families of children with autism through skills training initiative

MTN Uganda, through its corporate social responsibility arm, MTN Foundation, has donated vocational training equipment to Teens and Tots Neuro Development Centre in Kira Municipality, Kampala.

The initiative aims to support parents of children with autism and young adults with disabilities by equipping them with skills to build sustainable livelihoods.

The donation, valued at UGX 20 million, includes industrial sewing machines, baking equipment, digital devices, and soap-making supplies. The move is part of MTN Foundation’s Changemakers Initiative, which provides funding and resources to grassroots organizations working in areas such as economic empowerment, education, and healthcare.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, MTN Uganda CEO Sylvia Mulinge said the initiative reflects the company’s broader commitment to fostering inclusion and economic independence.

“For real progress to happen, we must ensure that everyone has access to opportunities that can improve their lives. This initiative is about empowering families with practical skills that help them generate income and build a sustainable future,” she said.

Mulinge re-echoed that through the MTN Changemakers Initiative, MTN Uganda is supporting 25 projects this year with a UGX 500 million investment—the same scale of support as last year—empowering dreamers to turn their visions into meaningful community transformations.

The Teens and Tots Neuro Development Centre, established in 2012, provides specialized education, therapy, and vocational training for children with special needs. The new equipment will expand the Centre’s capacity to offer training in tailoring, baking, digital literacy, and artisanal crafts, helping over 500 caregivers and young adults develop skills for employment and entrepreneurship.

Sarah Kisitu, the Centre’s Executive Director, welcomed the support.

“This contribution gives families a chance to become more self-reliant. Many of them struggle to make ends meet, and these skills will offer new pathways to economic stability,” she said.

The MTN Foundation Changemakers Initiative, launched two years ago, has already supported multiple projects, including pediatric cancer care at the Bless A Child Foundation, education programs under 40 Days Over 40 Smiles Foundation, and vocational training through Hands of Hope Skilling Centre.

More initiatives are planned, including support for Kalangala Home for Children with Special Needs, the Bushenyi Carpentry Project, and water access projects in Lira and Soroti.

Last year, MTN Uganda, through MTN Foundation, invested UGX 500 million in 25 community projects nationwide, aligning with its Ambition 2025 strategy to promote digital and financial inclusion while driving long-term social impact.

 

The MTN Uganda Foundation is a not-for-profit legal entity that was inaugurated in July 2007 as a vehicle through which MTN Uganda implements its corporate social investments (CSI). The Foundation strives to improve the quality of life in communities where MTN Uganda operates in a sustainable way. Its purpose is to bring about meaningful, measurable, and sustainable change that helps disadvantaged and rural communities to become self-sufficient. With a focus on innovative technology, we aim to uplift communities towards independence in this bold new digital world. The Foundation invests resources for social redress, thus economic empowerment, education, health, and humanitarian response. The Foundation implements projects that are highly enabled by ICT solutions.