The MTN Ghana Y’ello Ladies Network raised GHS 200,000 for breast cancer causes in its first year of operation, the network’s chairwoman confirmed at its first anniversary celebration in Accra on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, a figure that underscores the scale of impact the all-female employee group has achieved since its founding.
Of the total raised, GHS 150,000 was donated to the Breast Cancer Unit at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital to cover treatment costs for patients, while GHS 50,000 went to Breast Care International to support public education and awareness programmes.
The anniversary event, held at MTN House under the theme “Give to Gain: When Women Thrive, We All Rise,” brought together more than 500 female employees, executives, and mentors for a day of reflection and forward-looking engagement.
Antoinette Kwofie, Chief Finance Officer of MTN Ghana and Chairwoman of the network, described the past year as the fulfilment of a founding ambition. “A year ago, we set out with a vision to create a platform where the amazing women of MTN Ghana could connect, grow, lead and lift one another. Today, that vision has blossomed into a powerful community,” she said.
Kwofie outlined an expanded agenda for the year ahead, including a Women in Leadership Summit, a Leadership Masterclass Series, Leadership Café sessions, Speed Mentoring programmes, a Community Leadership Day, a second Breast Cancer Awareness Walk, and a set of Better Workplace Initiatives aimed at improving conditions for women across the organisation.
Chief Executive Officer Stephen Blewett credited the network with exceeding its original scope, emphasising that leadership within the organisation must be actively shared. “Leadership is not about competition, it is about growth. There is space for everyone. Your role is to pull someone else up,” he stated, calling on both women and men to actively support gender equity within the company.
The keynote address was delivered by Angela Kyerematen-Jimoh, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of BrainWave Africatech, who grounded the event’s theme in practical terms. “The most meaningful success is not what we accumulate, but what we contribute,” she told attendees, arguing that platforms like the Y’ello Ladies Network are essential infrastructure for developing leadership and amplifying women’s voices across corporate Ghana.
A fireside chat moderated by broadcast journalist Naa Ashorkor featured three business leaders: Ayisha Ayensu, Chief Executive Officer and Creative Director of Christie Brown; Theresa Ayoade, Chief Executive Officer of Charterhouse; and Uche Ofodile, Chief Executive Officer of MTN Benin. Each drew on personal experience to illustrate how mentorship and sponsorship shape women’s trajectories in leadership.
Ayensu argued that external impact begins with internal investment, urging attendees to build from a foundation of self-knowledge and authentic confidence. Ayoade traced her own rise to a mentor who saw potential in her early in her career. “True leadership is not just about your own growth, it is about building others to grow beyond you,” she said. Ofodile made the case for the transformative power of a single decision by a sponsor: “Sometimes, all it takes is one person making one decision, choosing to believe in you, for everything to change.”
The event also featured a speed mentoring session with members of the Executive Women Network, where participants engaged directly with practitioners across finance, human resources, communications, law, entrepreneurship, and leadership development.
The Y’ello Ladies Network was launched in March 2025 with a mandate to advance gender equality through leadership opportunities, mentorship, and career growth, with MTN Ghana targeting a 50 to 50 gender balance by 2030 as part of its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) strategy.
