Bolgatanga: Telecommunications giant MTN Ghana has trained 35 young entrepreneurs in the Upper East Region on leveraging social media platforms to boost their businesses.
According to Ghana News Agency, the training, which included instruction on using advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, formed part of MTN Ghana's annual '21 Days of Y'ello Care' initiative. The participants, drawn from sectors such as fashion, basket weaving, food, and crafts, received hands-on training on effectively using platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, as well as AI tools, to increase their reach and improve sales.
Speaking at the event in Bolgatanga, Mr. Martin Yaw Kumobah, the Upper East Regional Lead for MTN Ghana, stated that the training aimed to equip participants with social media marketing skills to promote their products and services beyond their immediate environment. 'In the month of June, MTN staff dedicate their time and resources to give back to society under the Y'ello Care initiative,' Mr. Kumobah said.
He further explained, 'This year, we decided to focus on economic empowerment by providing social media training to 35 young entrepreneurs who are already running small businesses.' Mr. Kumobah noted that many young people in the region lacked the necessary skills to exploit social media fully and emphasized the urgent need to tap into the opportunities offered by social media to increase sales.
'They know how to post, but not how to attract the right audience or boost their posts for better visibility,' he explained. 'If you can't reach people beyond your locality, your business will remain stagnant,' he added. The two-day training, offered free of charge, aimed to help young people gain new skills to market their products, with Mr. Kumobah saying, 'We expect them not only to market their own products but also to assist others for a fee.'
The MTN Y'ello Care programme, launched in 2007, is MTN's flagship employee volunteerism initiative, aimed at giving back to communities across its operational countries. MTN employs impactful social interventions such as education, economic empowerment, health, and community development, among others.
Participants like Ms. Paulina Kuoro, who is in the sale of cement, commended MTN Ghana for the training and expressed hope that the skills gained would boost her business's visibility and attract more customers. Mr. Mamudu Bansi, another participant in fashion, noted that although he used social media platforms, he did not know how to benefit from them to boost his business and stated he was now empowered with new digital skills to elevate his business.
