Heroes of Change Finals Today

On Friday at the Accra International Conference Centre, the winner of the MTN Heroes of Change will come off. The 13 episodes series has shown Ghanaians how ordinary citizens are helping in their own small way to effect changes in their respective communities. There are people committed to helping their communities in a variety of ways and the programme, an initiative of the MTN Ghana Foundation, aims to highlight the work of such people and eventually support them financially to execute their projects. An invite-only event, the ultimate �Hero of Change� will walk away with GH�50,000 to continue what he or she has started. Also, an amount of GH�10,000 will go to support each category winner. The categories include community crusader, social protection, health, environment and education. The 20 nominees include Abena Antwi, a full time philanthropist; Alberta Adoglah, teacher; Amadu Mohammed, full time philanthropist; Barima Antwi, farmer & social worker; Chirawura Chogewo Dennis, lecturer at the University of Development Studies (UDS); Emmanuel Ashie, teacher; Ernest Ankomah, full time philanthropist; Father Andrew Campbell, Catholic Priest; Frank D. Akoguwe, teacher; and Ken Kwaku Addae, full time philanthropist. The rest are Kwame Abrokwa Yenkyira, medical doctor; Lila Macqueen Djaba, full time philanthropist; Lily Akuah Mintah, teacher; Lucille Lamptey, full time philanthropist; Johngay Akortia, former teacher turned Nsawam prison inmate; Osei Bonsu Kantanka, businessman; Patricia Wilkins, full time philanthropist; Richard Alandu Achumboro, teacher; Richard Yinkah, social worker and student; and Solomon Boateng, full time philanthropist. A panel of four judges will select winners for each category, as well as an overall winner. The judges who have accepted the challenge of selecting the winners are Sidney Casely Hayford, a chartered accountant as well as business and financial analyst; and Ibrahim Awal, founder and CEO of Marble Communications Group, publishers of the Finder newspaper. The rest are Rev. Albert Ocran, an international motivational speaker, author and Chairman of Legacy & Legacy; and Dr. Doris Yaa Dartey, a communications professional and chairperson of the board of directors of the Graphic Communications Group Limited. Cynthia Lumor, Corporate Services Executive at MTN Ghana has said that the Heroes of Change is an important project which MTN believed would make a great impact on this country. �The project flows out of the desire for the improvement of the well-being of MTN customers and the promotion of sustainable initiatives in the communities in which we operate,� Ms Lumor said.