)
Dr Angela Dwamena-Aboagye, gender advocate and founder of The Ark Foundation, has been crowned the overall winner of the 7th Season of the MTN Heroes of Change Awards. The ceremony took place on the evening of Friday, 30 May, at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra, celebrating a decade-long tradition of honouring selfless individuals creating positive change in Ghanaian communities.
Dr Dwamena-Aboagye was presented with a cash prize of GH¢100,000 in recognition of her over 20 years of service to society-particularly her work championing gender equality, offering legal and psychosocial support for victims of abuse, and providing educational and economic opportunities for marginalised groups.
Her journey began in the early 2000s when she left a flourishing legal career to establish The Ark Foundation, Ghana’s first shelter for battered women.
Over the years, she has led advocacy campaigns against domestic violence, trained community leaders and professionals, and provided safe spaces and support systems for vulnerable women and children. Her contributions have helped shape national discourse and policies surrounding gender-based violence and women’s empowerment.
)
)
)
Speaking to the media after receiving the award, Dr Dwamena-Aboagye expressed deep gratitude for the recognition:
“My fulfilment comes from seeing people transformed after we’ve tried to assist them. But for a company like MTN, through its foundation, to recognise it—it’s truly an honour.”
She also called for more attention to be paid to the social and economic consequences of neglecting critical issues like gender-based violence.
“Ghana loses millions of dollars because of what happens to our people—the treatment, the time lost from work. ISA tells us we are losing almost $200 million a year, and I think we need to pay more attention to it.”
The 7th Season of the MTN Heroes of Change Awards celebrated a new cohort of individuals making exceptional impacts in their communities. In addition to the overall award, three category winners were announced on the night:
Martha Opoku Agyemang was named winner of the Health category for her work through the KSPC Foundation, supporting children living with cerebral palsy in Kumasi.
Adangabey Yaw Rockson, a differently abled school proprietor from Builsa South, received the Education category award for establishing the first private school in his community to serve toddlers and children excluded from the formal education system.
Sakina Mumuni was honoured in the Economic Empowerment category for her agro-processing and skills training initiative for widows and vulnerable women in the conflict-stricken Bawku area
Each of the category winners received GH¢60,000 to further support their community initiatives.
A highlight of the evening was the introduction of a new Digital category, created to acknowledge the growing influence of digital platforms in driving social change. This category recognised Nana Tea, a popular social media philanthropist, and the Bus Stop Boys, a grassroots community group. Both recipients received GH¢30,000 for their work in mobilising resources and support for the underprivileged using online platforms.
For the first time in the history of the awards, MTN also rewarded individuals who nominated finalists. Each nominator whose submission made it to the top 10 received GH¢5,000 as a token of appreciation for bringing these unsung heroes to national attention.
Chief Executive Officer of MTN Ghana, Mr Stephen Blewett, commended all the honourees and reinforced the company’s commitment to driving social transformation through innovation and empowerment.
“We believe the future of our nation and our continent lies with digital innovation, access and empowerment. These remarkable individuals show us what’s possible when technology meets human compassion.”
Also present at the ceremony were top executives of MTN Ghana, including the Chairman of the MTN Foundation Board, Professor Frankline Manu; Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer, Adwoa Afriyie Wiafe; and Senior Manager for Corporate Communications, Georgina Asare Fiagbenu.
The MTN Heroes of Change programme, initiated by the MTN Ghana Foundation, seeks to identify and celebrate Ghanaians making extraordinary contributions to their communities in the areas of Health, Education, and Economic Empowerment.
Now in its seventh season, the initiative continues to shine a light on grassroots changemakers whose stories often go untold but whose impact is immeasurable.