Beneficiary Response to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) - A Case Study of MTN Ghana Foundation.

Abstract

This paper examined beneficiary responses to corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities undertaken by MTN Ghana Foundation. The purpose of this study was to shed light on beneficiaries’ attitudes toward CSR projects and sustainability of such projects. The study employed qualitative approaches such as in-depth interviews, artefact analysis and observation with beneficiaries and officials of the Foundation. The researcher purposively focused on two of the Foundation’s educational projects in Accra namely the Nima ICT facility and the Ashaley Botwe Kindergarten School Block. Findings demonstrate that the beneficiaries considered CSR activities of MTN Foundation as critical opportunities for the development of their respective communities and were therefore receptive to such development opportunities. They reported that they were consulted and involved in the planning and execution of the projects. However, the beneficiaries said after some years of using the facilities, they were unable to maintain them because of lack of financial resources. Unfortunately, MTN Ghana Foundation was not ready to continue the project as they claim they were interested in carrying out more CSR projects than sustaining old ones. This raises questions about the Foundation’s commitment to CSR as an activity undertaken to improve the lives of people as well as community’s readiness to sustain such CSR projects after implementation.