Robert Kwesiga the General Secretary Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) said at the launch of the Merchant code that the donations would be used to procure and provide essential food assistance to the most vulnerable households whose livelihoods, from their informal jobs, have been adversely affected by the partial lockdown instituted in response to COVID19 pandemic in Uganda. Speaking after receiving the money from MTN Uganda on behalf of Red Cross, Dr. Josephine Okwera, the Director of Health and Social Services at URCS was elated that Ugandans had responded positively to the call, but said the struggle is still on and needs more generous Ugandans to come onboard. Related Article: Top 5 Platforms to Keep Track of COVID-19 Online MTN Uganda’s Senior Manager corporate affairs and Public Relations, Ms. Rhona Arinaitwe reiterated the company’s commitment to stand together with Ugandans by doing everything it can to reduce the impact that covid19 is having on their lives. Arinaitwe further noted that the merchant code 191919 will remain open to the public who wish to donate towards the fight against the COVID19 pandemic. The money collected from the merchant code henceforth will be channeled to the National COVID19 Task Force to support their efforts in alleviating the devastating effects of the pandemic. MTN Uganda waived fees on MTN to MTN Mobile money transactions, it also donated shs220million to National Water to deliver water to water-stressed communities in and around Kampala. The telecom company also handed over three brand new pickup trucks to the Uganda COVID 19 task force as a response to the President’s call for cars. It also provisioned a Toll-Free number 919 for the public to call the Ministry of Health teams and get assistance related to covid19. The telecom company also has several zero-rated learners’ websites to complement efforts to educate and keep children engaged during the quarantine period. These sites are available at www.mtn.co.ug/learnathome. The ministry of health’s and world health organization’s websites are also zero-rated to facilitate the flow of information.
