MTN Heroes of Change Season 7 Spotlights Ten Community Champions Driving Impact

Ten individuals and institutions have emerged as finalists in the seventh season of MTN Ghana’s Heroes of Change initiative, a flagship program celebrating grassroots leaders transforming lives in education, health, and economic empowerment.

Selected from over 2,000 applicants after a rigorous five-month evaluation, the finalists—including Emmanuel Sallah, Richeal Adom, and Sakina Mumuni—represent a diverse tapestry of community-driven innovation and selflessness.

Their projects, ranging from educational outreach to healthcare access and livelihood creation, will soon feature in a televised series airing on select networks. Viewers will witness firsthand how these unsung heroes are addressing pressing challenges, such as bridging gaps in rural education or empowering women through skills training. An independent panel will later crown three category winners and one overall champion, with the top prize of GH₵100,000 aimed at scaling the winner’s impact. Category winners will receive GH₵50,000 each, while remaining finalists and nominators earn cash awards and recognition.

“These everyday heroes often work in the shadows, yet their contributions light up entire communities,” said Adwoa Afriyie Wiafe, MTN Ghana’s Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer. “By amplifying their stories, we hope to ignite a ripple effect of positive change across Ghana.”

Since its 2007 launch, the MTN Ghana Foundation has invested in 178 major projects, directly impacting over five million lives. Initiatives like Heroes of Change underscore the foundation’s commitment to sustainable development, channeling resources into localized solutions rather than one-size-fits-all approaches. Past winners have leveraged prize funds to expand mobile clinics, build schools, and launch agribusiness cooperatives—proof that grassroots visionaries can drive national progress.

This season’s focus arrives at a critical time, as communities grapple with post-pandemic recovery and economic strains. The finalists’ work highlights the power of homegrown ingenuity: from Valeria Adzatia’s vocational training hubs for marginalized youth to Gideon Zege’s renewable energy projects electrifying off-grid villages.

Yet beyond the glitz of awards lies a deeper narrative. Programs like Heroes of Change challenge the notion that development must be top-down. By equipping local changemakers with funding and visibility, MTN taps into a wellspring of community trust and cultural insight—assets often overlooked in traditional philanthropy.

As Ghana faces evolving social and economic hurdles, the stories of these ten finalists serve as both inspiration and a call to action. Their journeys remind us that transformative change often begins not in boardrooms, but in the determined hearts of those who refuse to wait for solutions to arrive. With the spotlight now on them, the hope is that their blueprints will inspire a new wave of grassroots activism, proving that heroism isn’t about capes—it’s about commitment.