The village of Obak, located less than half an hour’s drive from the capital Yaounde, was off the network. Residents had to climb to certain heights to connect to a telecommunications network. Or they had to go to Ngoya, Zamengoe, Nkol-Bisson… MTN put an end to this ordeal in 2019. This is the year in which the Rural Star solution will be rolled out, in partnership with equipment manufacturer, Huawei.

This consisted of a pylon, boxes, cables, solar panels, batteries, etc., all built in a secure enclosure covering an area of just 4m². The new device takes up little space and is self-sufficient in terms of electricity thanks to its photovoltaic panels. There is no need for a generator, which at same time is harmful to the environment due to its toxic gas emissions and noise pollution.

“It works on 2G and 3G. This means that all users will be able to make calls on 2G and use mobile data on 3G. Here, we cover 1 to 2 km around the installation point,” explained an Engineer from Huawei Cameroon on 25 November 2019, the day this new device was inaugurated. This innovation not only serves the residents of Obak and surrounding area, but also the hundreds of people who come for consultations at the Magrabi ICO Cameroon Eye Institute, a hospital specialised in eye care.

The Rural Star equipment was installed on the hospital site. “Before this antenna, connectivity was very limited. We did what we could. Now we have the support we need to become fully operational. I understand that, in addition to access to the MTN telephone network, there are also other possibilities for us. This is the case with telemedicine, with distance learning courses from abroad and joint consultations between our experts here and those from around the world,” said Professor Daniel Etya’ale, who was Director General of this hospital training programme at the time.

Between 2019 and 20XX, the Rural Star project will have contributed to accelerating digital and financial inclusion with XXX sites deployed.

Next stop was Nlobesse in the South Region. In May 2019, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Gabriel Mbairobe, presided the handover ceremony for the project donated by the MTN Foundation. The project consists of a high-speed borehole, a 30m3 water tower and an operational water supply network through several water points in the village.

Friends of the MTN Foundation bring comfort to the victims of Ngouache

The pain of suddenly losing loved ones. The sorrow of being evicted from their risky homes. The difficulty of sleeping in the cold, sometimes with children. In resettlement camps. The survivors of the Ngouache disaster in Bafoussam were going through difficult times.  Friends of the MTN Foundation assisted them in November 2019 with a symbolic gesture. The MTN Foundation’s initiative helped 46 families living in the temporary resettlement site in Ndiengdam, 35 families housed in the former Tamdja Polyclinic and 16 families at the UCCAO factory, thus representing nearly 500 people.