The MTN Ghana Foundation has launched the eighth edition of its flagship Heroes of Change programme, doubling the total prize money to more than GH¢1.8 million and calling on Ghanaians to nominate individuals whose selfless service is transforming lives through education, healthcare and economic empowerment.
The enhanced prize package, unveiled at the launch in Accra on Wednesday, is designed to help winners expand the reach of their community interventions while encouraging more Ghanaians to identify and celebrate unsung heroes working quietly to improve lives across the country.
Under the new prize structure, winners in the Health, Education and Economic Empowerment categories will each receive GH¢200,000, bringing the total for the three category winners to GH¢600,000.
The remaining finalists who do not emerge as category winners will each receive GH¢100,000, while the individuals who nominate the eventual 10 finalists will also receive GH¢50,000 each, introducing a new incentive to encourage public participation in the nomination process.
The total prize fund has been increased from GH¢900,000 in Season Seven to over GH¢1.8 million for the upcoming edition.
Investment in communities
Speaking at the launch, the Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer of MTN Ghana, Adwoa Wiafe, said the enhanced prize money was intended not merely as recognition for outstanding service but as an investment that would enable recipients to extend the impact of their work.
She explained that many community champions were already changing lives with limited resources and that the financial support would allow them to reach more beneficiaries and strengthen their interventions.
“The awards are investments in community development. We want to provide these heroes with the resources to scale up what they are already doing and touch even more lives,” she said.
Mrs Wiafe noted that the Heroes of Change initiative was founded on the belief that ordinary people possess the power to create extraordinary change through selfless service.
She said the programme recognises individuals who dedicate their time, energy and personal resources to improving the lives of others, often without seeking recognition or reward.
“Humanity is changed by people with responsibility. The people who carry the greatest responsibility are the ones who bring about change,” she said.
According to her, while many people occasionally perform acts of kindness, Heroes of Change honours those whose commitment to service becomes a lifelong mission.
“There are people among us who do extraordinary things every single day. They love others more than themselves. That kind of devotion is difficult to explain and impossible to ignore,” she added.
Celebrating unsung heroes
Mrs Wiafe said the initiative reflects MTN Ghana’s broader commitment to creating shared value beyond providing telecommunications services.
Drawing parallels with the company’s three-decade presence in Ghana, she said sustainable businesses succeed because they address the everyday challenges confronting ordinary people.
“Businesses last because they solve the ordinary problems of ordinary people. Progress comes when we think beyond ourselves and open doors for people who never knew those doors existed,” she stated.
She observed that many community heroes had been practising sustainability long before it became a recognised corporate agenda.
“Individuals were practising sustainability long before it had a name,” she noted.
Mrs Wiafe stressed that national development had always been driven by ordinary citizens making extraordinary sacrifices for the benefit of their communities.
“Progress in this country has never belonged to institutions alone. It has always been driven by ordinary people doing extraordinary things, often at their own cost, with nobody watching,” she added.
She appealed to Ghanaians to actively search for deserving individuals in their communities and nominate them.
“Look around your community. Somebody is teaching, healing, building or keeping hope alive without asking for anything in return. Do not just admire them. Nominate them. Tell their story. Let Ghana see them,” she urged.
Over 100 changemakers honoured
Mrs Wiafe disclosed that since its inception, Heroes of Change has recognised more than 100 community champions working in education, healthcare, economic empowerment and, more recently, digital inclusion.
She added that through the MTN Ghana Foundation, the company had implemented more than 178 major social intervention projects, positively impacting over five million people nationwide.
The Acting General Manager for Sustainability and Shared Value at MTN Ghana, Georgina Asare Fiagbenu, said the launch formed part of the company’s Sustainability Month campaign, being observed under the theme: “Small Actions, Big Impact: Together for a Sustainable Future.”
She said the theme perfectly aligns with the Heroes of Change initiative, which celebrates individuals whose seemingly small acts of kindness have generated lasting improvements in their communities.
“As we begin this season, we look forward to discovering another group of remarkable individuals whose dedication, commitment and sacrifice continue to change lives,” she said.
Winner recounts impact
The overall winner of Season Seven, Dr Angela Dwamena-Aboagye, commended MTN Ghana for recognising individuals who devote their lives to serving humanity.
She said the support she received through the programme had significantly expanded the scope of her work and enabled her organisation to reach more vulnerable people.
Dr Dwamena-Aboagye encouraged other community volunteers and social entrepreneurs to participate in the programme, describing it as a platform that not only celebrates service but also strengthens community initiatives.
Nomination process
Nominations for Season Eight will be open from August to September 2026.
A panel of judges made up of broadcaster Gifty Anti, musician Okyeame Kwame and motivational speaker Rev. Albert Ocran will assess entries, with about 100 nominations expected to be shortlisted for preliminary screening before being narrowed to 30 nominees.
Nationwide verification visits will be conducted in September, after which the final 10 nominees will be selected in October.
Their stories will be filmed between October and November and broadcast from December 2026 to March 2027, culminating in the MTN Heroes of Change Awards ceremony in March 2027.
