This year 20 students are graduating from the MTN SA Foundation-sponsored Accelerated Development Programme (ABDP).
This is after an intense year of a curriculum packed with both theory and practical business knowledge at the Dream Development Centre (DDC), says MTN.
This year's ABDP initiative attracted SME owners who developed mobile apps that focus on community building and film production.
The selection process began in January this year in Gauteng. After two weeks of intense interviews, a panel from MTN and DDC chose the 20 candidates who would go on to be part of the initiative.
MTN says DDC has a two-pronged approach. It delivers a series of lectures to enable SMEs' development by educating them about processes needed to run a business.
The programme also facilitates the enhancement of the chosen skills and services of the selected SMEs, it adds.
According to Kusile Mtunzi-Hairwadzi, general manager of the MTN SA Foundation, programmes such as ABDP support MTN's strategic intent of creating sustainable value for its stakeholders. The programmes also develop a force of entrepreneurs who have the right skillsets to grow their businesses, contribute to the growth of the economy and create much-needed jobs.
It has always been the MTN SA Foundation's dream to establish enabling environments that allow entrepreneurs as well as SMEs to thrive in communities in which they operate, says Mtunzi-Hairwadzi.
"This is part of MTN SA's efforts at promoting enterprise development. Partnering with the DDC was a perfect opportunity for the foundation to realise that dream."
MTN earlier this year also introduced a three-year supplier development programme that will empower young, black entrepreneurs to take their place at the forefront of South Africa's evolution to a knowledge-based economy.
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