MTN Uganda Foundation contributes UShs. 150 million towards the rehabilitation of Kilembe
Mines Hospital
Release date:11/4/2013
Kampala, Uganda - 1st November, 2013
MTN Uganda, through the MTN Uganda Foundation has contributed items worth UShs. 150
million towards the rehabilitation of the Kilembe Mines Hospital in Kasese District- Western
Uganda as an effort to contribute to the welfare of the people following the aftermath of flood
disaster which hit the district earlier this year in May, leaving in its wake immense challenges
including poor sanitation and hygiene.
The donation which included 100 hospital beds, 100 mattresses, 100 blankets and 100
mosquito nets were handed over to the hospital management at a function presided over by
the Minister of Health- Honourable Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda. MTN also provided additional
support by painting the Children’s ward. Also in attendance was the Minister of State for
Disaster Preparedness, Honourable Musa Ecweru and the Member of Parliament for Kasese
Municipality- Honourable James Mbahimba.
At the beginning of May 2013 heavy rains caused the banks of the Nyamwamba River to
burst, which resulted in flooding in Western Uganda's Kasese district. Eight people were
confirmed dead, and over 25,000 have been affected. The flooding has caused widespread
destruction of houses, crops and facilities such as bridges, roads and power lines. Major
infrastructures such as a hospital and sewage treatment unit were also been damaged.
A recent survey by Africa Climate Change Resilience Alliance, a regional NGO, notes;
“Increased intensity of flash floods in Kasese has led to erosion of fields, both high and low
lands reported the negative impact of unpredictable seasons on cropping patterns and
resultant low yields leading to reduced food availability. Mosquitoes which were unheard of
in the district are now common and malaria cases have become common”.
It is against that background that MTN Uganda has come up with the donation to identify
with the people of Kasese.
MTN Uganda’s CEO Mazen Mrouè, underscored MTN’s commitment to continue
identifying with the vulnerable communities in the country adding that the Company has
always been at hand to give a helping hand whenever necessary. Over the last 15 years since
MTN Uganda started operations in Uganda, it has partnered with the Uganda Government
and a number of relief agencies in matters of disaster response.
“At MTN Uganda, we realize and understand the importance of continued support towards
the communities where we operate. The floods destroyed property and affected the lives of
the people of Kasese. This greatly shocked the nation and the world and deeply touched us at
MTN and that’s why we decided to come in and help,” said Mrouè.
He added that Governments all over the world are over whelmed by emergencies like these,
and most times, especially in the developing world it is important for partners to answer the
call and provide support for the relief efforts. “As Uganda’s number one corporate citizen, we
believe it’s our obligation to support government efforts in areas like these,” Mroué said.
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. Over the past five years since its launch, the MTN
Foundation has supported a number of initiatives in the areas of Education, Health, Arts and
Culture, Environment, Community Development and Low cost housing.
Honourable Rugunda hailed MTN for the initiative saying that MTN, through the Foundation
has proved that the company has the welfare of the country at heart.
“As government we welcome this initiative by the MTN Foundation and applaud you for
partnering with us in extending the reach of much needed support to the people of Kasese.
We would also like to express our most sincere gratitude to Board of the Foundation for
having initiated this process and now we can finally see the benefits of their actions,”
concluded Honourable Rugunda.
Honourable Musa Ecweru, said, “MTN Uganda has consistently been a development partner
with the Government particularly in the area of response to disaster and national calamities. I
have had the opportunity to work with them in the past to rehabilitate and support
communities that would have otherwise been completely destroyed”.
A few months ago, Hon. Ecweru officiated at the handover of 10 houses to displaced families
that were resettled in Kiryandongo following the Bududa landslides that occurred in 2010. In
1999, MTN partnered with Habitat for Humanity to build homes for displaced people the first
being in Mbale and Hoima districts. Since then, MTN Uganda has built a total of 237 homes
in partnership with Habitat for Humanity housing close to 1380 individuals; this is the largest
number of homes funded by a corporate company
Most recently he witnessed the handover of boreholes and other water purification equipment
to the same community through the proceeds from the 2012 MTN Kampala Marathon that
was focused on taking clean and safe water to the people of Bududa.
Honourable James Mbahimba thanked MTN Uganda through the MTN Uganda Foundation
for responding to the call to support the rehabilitation of the hospital which serves patients
from both Kasese and surrounding districts. As the Member of Parliament for Kasese
Municipality, he said that the floods had not devastated the area but the whole of Uganda.
-EndsAbout MTN Uganda
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