Accra, May 19 2018/– Audience stood and clapped when Madam Naomi Esi Arku Amoah was adjudged as the ultimate winner of this year’s MTN Heroes of Change.
She received a cheque worth GH¢100,000, a trophy and a citation at the grand finale of the season IV of the MTN Heroes of Change programme held at the Accra International Conference last night.
Three other winners- Emmanuel Annobil, Madam Serwah Quaynoh and Rev Mrs Sanatu Nantogma won prizes in the education, health and economic empower categories of the programme.
Each of them took home GH¢30,000 , a trophy and a citation. While the remaining six finalists also received GH¢10,000 each. While actresses- Yvonne Nelson and Yvonne Okoro, Seth Kwame Boateng and Joseph Opoku Gakpo both of Joy FM took home special prize each. They received GH¢10,000 and hampers each.
The prize monies are meant to support the community projects of Madam Naomi Esi Arku, and the other winners.
Speaking through a video, the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Ghana, Ebenezer Asante encouraged the MTN Heroes of Change Season IV winners to keep on shining, and keep on touching more lives in the country.
Let’s all go out and create opportunities for members of our communities. Let’s be the change we wish to see, Mr Asante admonished.
In her welcome address, acting Corporate Services Executive of MTN Ghana, Samuel Koranteng, said the MTN Ghana Foundation was extremely glad that in the space of 10 years, they had been able to positively impact lives through projects implemented in the areas of health, education and economic empowerment to help Ghana the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
He added: “MTN Ghana Foundation has the passion to brighten lives in communities, that is why we do not end at celebrating our achievements but continue to commit more resources into brightening lives through projects such as the MTN Heroes of Change”.
Mr Koranteng continued: “Our mission is to improve the quality of lives of people through appropriate and sustainable corporate social responsibility interventions in communities where MTN operates. Today, we have with us selfless individuals who are improving lives in line with our mission.”
“The least we can as a foundation is to acknowledge, celebrate and reward them”.
The wife of the Vice President of Ghana, Mrs Samira Bawumia was the special guest of honour at the event and she encouraged the winners to keep up impacting their communities.
Who is Madam Naomi Esi Arku Amoah?
She is the founder of Royal Seed Home (RSH), a residential children’s home based in Kasoa in the Central Region of Ghana is a woman of many parts-a street evangelist, a social worker, and a philanthropist.
As an evangelist Madam Amoah has had the poor and vulnerable people in society at heart and has been working hard to accomplish her dream of building an inclusive society for all.
Her unique passion for social work is immeasurable.
How is she funding the project
As a philanthropist, Madam Amoah single-handily funds the Royal Seed Home project with little resources. She is the only hope for the homeless children in the area.
She said: “In the beginning, my mother sold her belongings and properties to support the vision. But now, I fund this project all by myself. I don’t do any other work than to evangelise on the streets; what I make from there is what I use to take care of the kids”.
” I also roam about pleading with people to help when the kids are sick and have surgeries to be done. This project has survived only by God’s grace and I thank God no kid has lost his or her life under my care”.
Achievements
The vision of Royal Seed Home, according to Madam Amoah is to bring up a needy or homeless child to become a great person in future, and that is what she has been working on. She takes homeless and needy children into her uncompleted structure and gives them a bright future.
For instance, eight children who passed her Royal Seed Home are currently studying in some of the leading universities in the country . Also, 24 children from care facility are attending Senior High schools.
Madam Amoah through her Royal Seed Home provides food and shelter for orphans and other needy children in Kasoa and its surrounding areas.
Also through her project, she has catered for over 100 street children; some of whom were abandoned as babies.
Madam Amoah is taking care of children who do not know their families. Most of them were brought to her home at tender ages. So, she cannot trace their families.
Some of those who brought the children never showed up again to check up on them. The feeding, clothing, sheltering and educating the abandoned children have become her sole responsibilities till they are of working age and take care for themselves.
Nominated for MTN Heroes of Change
The affable Madam Amoah’s magnificent contributions to the people in Kasoa and its surrounding communities did not go unnoticed. They have nominated her to participate in this year’s MTN Heroes of Change which she won the ultimate prize.
Earlier, the MTN Heroes of Change IV programme highlighted the humanitarian activities of the 10 nominees in the areas of health, education and economic empowerment on GTV , TV3, UTV, Adom TV, Max TV and Home Base TV channels for 13 weeks.
Instructively, the MTN Heroes of Change was initiated in July 2013 to recognise and reward persons who have provided significant humanitarian services to their communities through personal sacrifices.
The MTN Ghana Foundation is the corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm of MTN Ghana, the leading telecoms service provider in the country.
By Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh, African Eye Report
