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Adangabey Yaw Rockson, a passionate school proprietor from Gbedema in the Builsa South District, has been named the MTN Hero of Change for the Education Category at the season 7 of the MTN Heroes of Change awards. He received GH¢60,000 to support his grassroots educational initiative aimed at transforming the lives of children in rural Ghana.
In his emotional acceptance speech at the ceremony held on Friday, 30 May, at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra, he expressed heartfelt gratitude:
“I want to thank my fathers, my brothers and sisters, and my mothers who came all the way to support me. I want to thank MTN Ghana Foundation—they gave me this wheelchair. God bless you.”
At 32, Yaw Rockson is defying the odds and changing the narrative around disability, leadership, and access to education. Living with cerebral palsy, he has used his personal challenges as fuel to lead a powerful vision: to provide inclusive, quality early childhood education in underserved communities.
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Moved by the gap in access to foundational learning in his area, Yaw established the Adangabey Royal International School—the first private school in Gbedema. The existing government school in the district only accepts children from age five, leaving younger children without options. His school, however, admits learners as young as two, offering them an early and vital start to their academic journey.
Adangabey Yaw Rockson
Operating out of a modest two-bedroom rented space, the school has enrolled over 160 pupils, spanning nursery to Primary 4. Despite financial constraints, Yaw ensures that no child is turned away due to inability to pay. Fees are capped at GHS 120, with flexible payment plans designed to accommodate struggling families.
The school’s impact extends beyond the classroom. It instils discipline, nurtures confidence, and raises the aspirations of children in a district that has long lacked educational infrastructure.
Community members and parents have praised the transformation in their children’s lives, noting significant improvements in both attitude and ambition.
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His nominator, Sofia Ayaric, a retired lecturer from Tamale Technical University, describes him as an inspiration:
“Yaw is a differently abled person from a very poor background who could have been begging on the streets. But instead, he chose to rise above his challenges to help others. His story is one of sacrifice, empathy, and hope.”
The MTN Heroes of Change programme, spearheaded by the MTN Ghana Foundation, seeks to recognise and reward Ghanaians who are driving meaningful change in their communities across the categories of Health, Education, and Economic Empowerment. Through their actions, these unsung heroes are lighting the way toward a better Ghana.