How MTN has spread love, cheers to Muslims during Ramadan

For years MTN Uganda and the Muslim community have celebrated their long standing relationship through sharing a meal at the onset of Ramadan, followed by the telecom’s handing over of alms to various Muslim communities across the country.

This year however, although MTN Uganda could not share a meal with the Muslim community due to the Covid19 social distancing guideline, the telecom distributed alms to various Muslim communities just like it has always done.

This project that underscores the longstanding relationship between MTN Uganda and the Muslim community in Uganda was executed in partnership with Salam Foundation under the supervision of the national Covid-19 task force.

Foodstuff worth over Shs 100 million was given to over 4700 people through various Muslim communities, starting with the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council in Old Kampala and the Office of the Supreme Mufti in Kibuli.

Sheikh Siliman Ndirangwa, the Supreme Mufti expressed his gratitude to MTN for always remembering the Muslim communities across the country by showing them love and support as they fulfill one of the major pillars of Islam.

“I thank MTN Uganda and its partners Salam TV for reaching out to us every year and supporting us through the holy month of Ramadan,” Ndirangwa said, while receiving the alms from MTN.

The alms distributed included cooking oil, boxes of soap, sacks of sugar, rice, maize flour, cartons of baking flour and milk among others.

Other beneficiaries of these supplies comprised of the Uganda Police, Luzira Prisons, the Kampala Imams’ forum, the Uganda Muslim Broadcasters Forum, the Muslim Teachers Association, the Muslim Widows of Kawempe, assorted Muslim communities in Entebbe, Wakiso, Mukono and Jinja including two orphanages among others.

“Our biggest worry was how we were going to be feed the children especially because they survive from the generosity of good Samaritans who are now held up at home with no income or means to reach us,” said Allen Kizito, one of the founders of an orphanage.

While receiving the supplies from MTN, Sheikh Muhammad Mulaje, the Muslim leader at Luzira prison pointed out that the biggest group of people that are usually forgotten are inmates.

He said: “Once one is condemned, it’s easy for others to give up and forget them. We are privileged that MTN Uganda remembers us every year. I pray that Allah richly rewards them for their kindness towards us.”

In a different arrangement, MTN Uganda handed over food items worth Shs 20 million to the Busoga Muslim community.

This was done through the Busoga Kingdom leadership and the Speaker of parliament, Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga who thanked MTN for reaching out to the people in Busoga every year under the Telecom’s Ramadan drive.

Apart from supplying food items to the Muslim community, MTN also launched MTNite Calls as a promotional offer for all its clients, including non-muslims to champion the spirit of togetherness during Ramadan.

Customers got 60 free minutes to make calls to MTN Numbers between midnight and 6:00am, once they loaded airtime or bought a voice/data bundle worth Ugx 500 shillings using MTN MoMo or through an agent.

Ian Mugambe, the High Value segment Manager at MTN Uganda, who was overseeing the Ramadan drive reiterated how the company always looks forward to Ramadan as it presents them with an opportunity to celebrate their strong relationship with the Muslim community.

“We feel blessed that we are able to spread love and cheer to our Muslim brothers and sisters as they observe the holy month of Ramadan,” Mugambe said.