MTN Group Fintech is using its 2025 Mandela Day initiative to move beyond digital transactions—this year, the company is putting healthcare access on the agenda.
Through a partnership with Unjani Clinics, a network of nurse-led community healthcare centres in South Africa, MTN Group Fintech is distributing hygiene care packages to young women and elderly residents in five underserved areas. The goal: improve access to menstrual health products, reduce stigma, and promote dignity in the communities that need it most.
The care kits will be delivered to Unjani sites in Rietvallei, Newlands, Pimville, Lenasia Ext 10, and Fleurhof, areas selected for their high-impact health delivery potential.
“We’re not just building fintech products—we’re building ecosystems that enable dignity and resilience,” said Nikiwe Tanga, Chief Legal Officer at MTN Group Fintech.
For MTN Fintech, the initiative is a brand play that signals broader ambitions. While the company continues to scale its MoMo platform and digital lending services, it’s also aligning itself with public health and community development goals across its African markets.
“Corporate citizenship is about long-term participation in real-world challenges—not just once-a-year charity work,” Tanga added.
Unjani Clinics, founded to close gaps in basic healthcare access, welcomed the initiative. CEO Lynda Toussaint said the care packages respond to an often-overlooked need.
“Lack of access to menstrual hygiene products isn’t just a health issue—it’s a barrier to education and confidence,” said Toussaint. “We’re glad to have MTN Fintech as a partner in addressing it.”
MTN’s choice to use its Mandela Day activation to support structural health access—rather than brand-driven donation drops—follows a broader trend: fintech players across the continent are increasingly looking to embed their platforms into the social fabric, not just the financial one.
Whether that translates into long-term market differentiation or reputational value remains to be seen. But for now, the MTN Group Fintech Mandela Day initiative offers a clear signal: Africa’s biggest telecom-backed fintech isn’t just playing in the cloud—it’s showing up on the ground.