The Corporate Social Investment (CSI) arm of MTN Ghana, the MTN Ghana Foundation, has undertaken far-reaching CSI initiatives in the country.

It has invested more than GH? 19.5 million to improve healthcare, education and living conditions for approximately three million people.

Since its establishment in 2007, the Foundation has executed 102 major projects as well as numerous smaller initiatives in diverse communities to brighten lives in all ten regions of Ghana.

A statement issued by MTN in Accra on Wednesday and copied to Ghana News Agency said MTN Ghana Foundation has refurbished and constructed school blocks, making it possible for children in more than 75 schools across Ghana to learn and be taught in suitable conditions.

It said 30 ICT centres have been dotted all over the country and Internet connection to more than 10 schools, which have made it possible for rural communities to reap the benefits of the Information Age.

“Recognising the critical role teachers play in education, MTN has supported the celebration of the National Best Teacher Award for over seven years. Recently, in a bid to improve capacity building for the benefit of teaching and learning in public schools, the Foundation launched its Teacher Improvement Award programme and subsequently awarded scholarships to 20 teachers for the pursuit of advanced degrees in the areas of Science, English and Mathematics. Its annual Reading Club project has helped improve the reading skills of school children in many communities,” the statement said.

It said the Foundation’s educational scholarships provided to more than 1,000 Ghanaians have changed the lives of their families forever.

Many of the scholarship recipients have graduated to pursue professions in Medicine, Engineering, Architecture, Business Administration, among others.

The statement said the Foundation has improved access to healthcare in some key areas, where it has provided potable water for 22 communities by funding the drilling of boreholes, thereby helping to prevent diseases.

With particular interest in women and children, the Foundation has built or refurbished hospital wards for maternity, paediatric and emergency care and equipped health facilities with critical medical equipment.

More than 50 hospitals in Ghana have benefited from MTN’s health-related interventions, while Community-based Health Planning and Service (CHPS) compounds have been built with funding from the Foundation.

The Foundation has catered for critical surgeries for numerous patients with varying health conditions including, hole in heart, burn survivors, among others.

It partnered Ghana Cleft Foundation to assist 74 patients with cleft disorders to receive free surgeries, while 116 health professionals were trained in the management of cleft lip and palate disorders.

Ghanaians requiring blood transfusion have unknowingly benefited from the foundation’s activities, due to annual blood donation exercises that have contributed 2,038 pints of blood to the National Blood Bank and other health institutions.

Recently, the Foundation constructed a neonatal care unit for the Tamale Teaching hospital at a cost of GH¢ 335,000.00 to improve the chances for survival for preterm babies delivered at the hospital.

Under its third focus area of economic empowerment, the foundation has supported various groups to improve their economic circumstances. Women in the northern regions of Ghana for example, have benefited from processing plants, seed capital and business training provided by MTN for their shea butter businesses.

The Foundation has also organised various business empowerment programmes to assist budding and aspiring entrepreneurs with business development.

These include “My Business 2012” programme, Enablis Ghana programme and many others.

The Foundation launched the MTN Heroes of Change project in 2013 to reward and recognise hard working Ghanaians who are bringing change to their communities and Ghana as a whole.

The project hopes to encourage the spirit of giving back.

The 2015 MTN Hero of Change winner would receive project support of GH? 100,000.00’ from the foundation.

“The contributions of the MTN Ghana Foundation to Ghanaian communities have not gone unnoticed. The Foundation has received various CSR awards including the Best CSR Company of the Year award at the 1st and 2nd Mobile World Ghana Telecom Awards; and Best CSR Company of the Year from the Ghana Investment Promotion Council in 2010.

“MTN’s flagship Heroes of Change initiative was also recognised as CSR Programme of the Year 2015 by the Head of State Award Scheme. In addition, the National Blood Bank named MTN as the Best Corporate Blood Donor in 2013.”

The MTN Ghana Foundation was established in November 2007 with the mandate to direct and implement MTN Ghana’s Corporate Social Investments. In 2014, the Foundation disbursed more than GH? 3 million on projects and has disbursed more than GH? 2.1 million from January to June 2015.