What began as a policy initiative to bridge the gender gap in technology is now transforming into a nationwide digital revolution—powered by a bold corporate investment and a shared vision of an inclusive future.
At the heart of this shift is MTN Ghana’s landmark GHC 17.6 million commitment to the Girls in ICT Initiative, a collaboration with the Ministry of Communications, Digitalisation and Innovation aimed at preparing Ghanaian girls for the fast-evolving digital economy. With GHC 2 million of that sum specifically allocated to the Volta Region, the latest milestone in the initiative was marked at a colourful event at the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) in Ho.
“This is not about corporate social responsibility—it’s about national transformation,” said Madam Adwoa Wiafe, Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer at MTN Ghana. “We are not just investing in laptops; we are investing in futures.”
MTN’s investment is already producing tangible results. More than 15,000 girls across Ghana have been trained in coding, robotics, and digital literacy. Thousands have received laptops, while their teachers have undergone specialised ICT training to ensure long-term impact. Schools in remote communities—once left behind in the digital race—are now budding tech incubators, thanks to this strategic intervention.
Perhaps the most compelling aspect of the programme is its reach into underrepresented and underserved groups. This year, for the first time, differently-abled girls were included in the programme. “Inclusivity is not an afterthought for us—it’s embedded in the design of our programmes,” Madam Wiafe affirmed.
The testimonies emerging from the initiative are striking. One young woman who participated in the 2019 edition is now studying ICT at the university level—a powerful example of how access and opportunity can change lives.
The programme has also been instrumental in building physical infrastructure. MTN Ghana Foundation has in the past year alone:
- Constructed ICT labs and libraries in over 30 schools,
- Sponsored robotics training at Mafi Girls SHS, which has twice won the World Robotics Competition,
- Provided STEM scholarships for girls, and
- Supplied advanced ICT tools to several universities and SHSs.
These efforts are more than philanthropic gestures—they are deliberate steps to prepare Ghana’s youth, especially girls, for a future dominated by technology.
The Volta Region celebration is just one chapter in a broader story. The Girls in ICT programme is expanding to the Upper East and Upper West Regions, bringing digital skills to the doorstep of more girls who have traditionally had little exposure to ICT.
As MTN and the Ministry push forward, the message is clear: empowering girls with technology is not a side project—it is central to Ghana’s development strategy.
“In every girl we train, there is a future innovator, problem solver, and leader,” Madam Wiafe declared. “Our role is to give her the platform to shine. Because when girls rise, Ghana rises.”
