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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | MTN Uganda has officially launched the Pachi Panda Innovation Challenge in partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), a programme designed to support young people in creating business solutions that tackle food, energy, and water security challenges.
The initiative, which began in Zambia in 2022 and has since expanded to Cameroon, Nigeria, and South Africa, now enters Uganda, making it the fifth African country to adopt the scheme.
At the launch event, MTN Uganda formalized its partnership with WWF by signing a memorandum of understanding.
“The connected life we aspire to offer is only possible on a planet that is healthy, sustainable, and protected for future generations,” said MTN Uganda CEO Sylvia Mulinge on Aug.28 during the launch.
She added: “With the Pachi Panda Challenge, we are calling on young Ugandans to step forward with innovative solutions that will help us Plant, Protect, and Provide for generations to come.”
Uganda, like much of Africa, faces mounting climate pressures, resource scarcity, and food insecurity, challenges increasingly influenced by the interconnected food-energy-water nexus.
Agriculture, the country’s largest employer, remains particularly vulnerable to erratic rainfall and prolonged droughts.
The 2025 competition targets youth aged 18 to 35, university students, and youth-led SMEs.
Winners will receive cash prizes of $5,000, $3,000, and $2,000, alongside incubation and mentorship support, with top performers advancing to the continental finals in early 2026. Ivan Tumuhimbise, WWF Uganda’s country director, emphasized, “The climate crisis is a present danger affecting everyone. We believe that the most effective solutions come from those who will inherit the planet.”
MTN Uganda stated that the initiative aligns with the government’s Vision 2040 framework, which emphasizes sustainable industrialization, environmental protection, and inclusive economic growth. It also contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, notably SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). Applications for the challenge can be submitted online through the official Pachi Panda Challenge portal before 30 November 2025.
This initiative underscores MTN Uganda’s commitment to combining innovation, sustainability, and youth empowerment, positioning young innovators at the forefront of addressing the climate and environmental challenges facing Uganda and the wider continent.
