The project seeks to unearth and celebrate individuals or groups making extraordinary contributions in the community.

It identifies, supports and honours the diverse contributions that these heroes and heroines are playing in the development of society.

Essentially, the project provides an opportunity for selfless people to be publicly recognised and rewarded for their efforts. The ultimate Hero of Change will receive GH¢100,000 to support his/her community project, with winners for the various categories also receiving recognition and financial prizes.

The others will receive consolation prizes.

The Foundation focuses on three cores areas: Health – dedication to the enhancement of human health in Ghana; Economic Empowerment – commitment to capacity building and economic empowerment in Ghana, and Education – helping to improve literacy and/or increase access to education in Ghana.

According to the Corporate Services Executive of MTN, Mrs Cynthia Lumor:  “We launched the Heroes of Change project to celebrate ordinary people impacting society in an extra ordinary manner. We are looking forward to projecting their stories and to reward them for their selfless services.”

The criteria for selection was based on the following: the nomination for recognition in education is required to engage in an educational project aimed at improving literacy and enabling members of the community to become agents of social change.

That for health is required to be devoted to awareness creation and advocacy for the eradication of any identifiable health issue.

On economic empowerment, the nominee is required to be engaged in a project aimed at building the capacity of members of a community in order for them to become economically self-sufficient whilst enhancing their livelihood.

Each season has 13 episodes. The final 10 nominees out of a starting line-up of 2,400 are Joseph Asakibeem, Dr Michael Adusei-Nsowah, Genevieve Basigha, Ibrahim Bafara Alhassan, Nana Professor Osei Darkwa III, Joana Mansah Deegbe and John Amankrah Essel.

The others are Reverend Father Moses Asaah, Rev Monsignor Alex Bobby Benson and James Jack Dawson.The Episode 1 Nominee is Joseph Asakibeem, Episode 2 Nominee: Rev Bobby Benson Episode 3 Nominee: Dr Michael Adusei-Nsowah, and Episode 4 Nominee: Rev Fr Moses Asaah.The Episode 5 Nominee: Joana Deegbe, Episode 6, Nominee: Nana Prof Osei Darkwa III, Episode 7, Nominee: John Amankrah Essel and Episode 8 Nominee: James Jack Dawson

The Episode 9 Nominee: Genevieve Basigha, Episode 10 Nominee: Ibrahim Bafara Alhassan, Episode 11 Recap: five stories (Joseph Asakibeem/ Rev Bobby Benson/ Joana Deegbe/ Jack Dawson/ Dr Michael Edusei-Nsowah) and Episode 12 

Recap: 5 stories (Ibrahim Bafara Alhassan/ Genevieve Basigha/ Rev Father Moses Asaah/ Nana Prof Osei Darkwa III/ Amankrah Essel).

MTN Heroes of Change S3. (Broadcast Schedule) is as follows: GTV- Saturday 5:30pm -6:00pm; TV3- Sunday 6:30pm to 7:00 pm; JOY PRIME- Sunday 5:00 pm -5:30pm and GH ONE TV- Sunday 7:00pm- 7:30pm

MTN HOC Season 3 Nominee List

Joseph Asakibeem (short code name “JOSEPH”) is based in Sirigu in the Upper East Region and provides medical aid to children born with varying deformities.

He also educates the community about the true state of these children while encouraging them to desist from killing them as they are falsely perceived as “spirit children”.

His project is supported by Afrikids UK through Afrikids Ghana.

Dr Michael Adusei-Nsowah (short code name “MICHAEL”) through his rural eye health project, has helped numerous people with varying eye problems.

While the project started with a loan, it is largely self-funded.

Dr Adusei-Nsowah travels to health facilities in Asonomaso in the Ashanti Region to give medical help to people who require eye treatment.

Beneficiaries pay a token of GH? 5.00 for consultation services.

Genevieve Basingha (short code name “GENEVIEVE”) despite being deaf and dumb, has set up a school in Obuasi in the Ashanti Region, which caters for children suffering from her condition.

The project is sustained through her pocket as well as the GH? 70 fee paid per term by parents of the children.

Ibrahim Bafara Alhassan (short code name “IBRAHIM”) operating from Wa in the Upper West Region, has helped eradicate poverty through his Vision Farms poultry project. 

By distributing birds to interested individuals who rear and resell them, the project has grown from just 10 birds to a movement spreading across 11 districts.

The project is self-funded.

Nana Prof Osei Kofi Darkwa (short code name “NANA”) is the chief of Patriensa and President of the Ghana Technology University College.

He has established a five- year developmental programme to transform his community.

He has constructed a road, which has significantly cut the time farmers commute from their farms to the market.

The facility has helped them avoid long dangerous treks from farm to market and the issue of produce going bad.

His project is self-funded and donations from friends.

Joana Mansah Deegbe (short code name “JOANA”) a lawyer and educationist, has set up a community library in Shiashie in the Greater Accra Region, to enable children improve their reading and literacy skills.

She funds the project through donations from friends and family as well as the church.

John Amankrah Essel (short code name “JOHN”) has set up set up schools within the Breman Asikuma of the Central Region in very remote communities to give the children in its environs the required education.

More than 300 children have benefited from his project, which is funded through his personal income as well as a small token paid by the parents of the students.

Rev Fr. Moses Asaah Awinnongya (short code name “MOSES”) through his NGO- Regentropfen Education Foundation, is taking care of orphans and other needy children within Namoo in the Upper East Region by providing shelter and food.

He has set up a scholarship fund, which helps brilliant but needy children through school, built a library and built a university in the village of Namoo with a hostel facility near completion.

He funds the project through donations from individuals in Germany and Stiftung  Regentropfen.

Rev Monsignor Alex Bobby Benson (short code name “BOBBY”) has through funding from the Catholic Church, friends and other individuals been able to cater for the needs of marginalised HIV and AIDS persons.

His “Matthew 25” house has provided spiritual, emotional and financial support to individuals affected by HIV and AIDS.Jack James Dawson (short code name “JACK”) operating in the Atitekpo in the Volta Region, has set up the APPLE Foundation, which seeks to rescue children from trafficking.

 APPLE stands for Association of People for Practical Life Education.

Mr Dawson is a graphic designer and social worker who uses his personal income and donations to run his project.

MTN Heroes of Change was first launched in July 2013 and Dr Abrokwa-Yenkyera, a plastic surgeon and Founder of Grafts Foundation, emerged the ultimate winner for the maiden edition of MTN Heroes of Change in 2014.

Madam Paulina Opei, Founder of the Save Our Lives Orphanage, emerged the Hero of Change for Season II.

Rev Albert Ocran, Motivational Speaker; Dr Doris Dartey, Communications Consultant; Mr Mohammed Awal, Publisher, and Mr Sidney Casely-Hayford, Economist constitute the independent selection of winners’ panel of judges .

MTN Heroes of Change has bagged a number of awards, including the 2016 IPR Best Community Relations Programme of the Year and the CSR Programme of the Year 2015 by the Head of State Awards (HoSA) Scheme.

The Foundation is expected to win some more in the coming years.

The various interventions the Foundation has provided include hospital blocks, school buildings, libraries, ICT centres, scholarships and training programmes are some of the ways MTN Ghana Foundation is making healthcare, education accessible and enhancing economic empowerment.

Established in November 2007, the Foundation is impacting millions of lives in our communities.