Lonestar Cell MTN has announced Mr. Mohammed Kerkulah, the Founder & Chief Empowerment Officer (CEO) of GonetAfrica and its capacity building arm, Gonet Academy, as one of its 30 selected nominees for the MoMo Heroes of Change 2025 out of a pool of 1,916 nominations.
The telecommunication giant announced the nominees for the 2025 edition of its flagship award on Monday, September 1, 2025, with a list that is inclusive of changemakers who often go above and beyond to uplift communities, drive progress, and inspire hope.
The MoMo Heroes of Change is an annual initiative of Lonestar Cell MTN that aims to recognize Liberian changemakers across critical sectors, including education, healthcare, community impact and development, youth and women empowerment, and tech solutions, among others.
“MoMo Heroes of Change is not a competition; it’s a platform to showcase Liberian changemakers,” CEO Kerkulah said on his social media after his nomination was announced.
This is his second entry into the program after being nominated last year and being among the Top 10 nominees.
“Though I didn’t win last year after emerging among the Top 10, I built meaningful connections, and the platform increased our visibility too,” he said.
A Real Changemaker
As CEO of Gonet Academy, Kerkulah is the true definition of what a changemaker is, as his impact is visible practically everywhere.
He has touched the lives of many youths, women, and professionals across Liberia and enabled progress by empowering them with the knowledge, skills, and confidence necessary to contribute to national and global development.
“With increasing demand for our professional and technical capacity building programs, I intend to use this award to expand my work in rural Liberia, touch at least 100 lives, particularly youth and women, and enable progress in rural communities to improve Liberia’s human capital and contribute to community impact and national development,” Kerkulah said.
Mohammed is passionate about empowering young people through professional education, innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology. His work with GonetAfrica & Gonet Academy continues to equip and inspire the next generation of changemakers, leaders, and professionals across every sector.
He is leading a revolution that has been, for the past few years, an agent for youth and women empowerment professionally–empowering over 4,000 young people, building their capacities for a productive future.
“Our mission has always been to transform education into empowerment,” Kerkulah said in a recent interview.
With over 60% of Liberia’s population under the age of 35, Gonet Academy’s programs are a strategic response to the country’s demographic realities and economic challenges.
Kerkulah is a staunch women’s rights advocate and a gender-sensitive leader. His leadership at Gonet Academy’s capacity development initiative has led to a record surge in the empowerment of females, marking a significant step toward closing gender gaps in Liberia’s professional workforce.
Women now make up the majority of students at the Academy, particularly in high-demand fields such as Project Management, Procurement, Human Resource Management, Entrepreneurship, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and Monitoring and Evaluation.
This rise, Kerkulah noted, is the result of deliberate gender-responsive policies and targeted outreach aimed at dismantling barriers that have historically kept women out of leadership and technical professions. The impact is already visible, with more women thriving in both public and private sector roles.
“Empowering women through education is not just a moral imperative; it’s an economic and social necessity,” a statement posted on Gonet Academy’s website indicates. “We’re proud to be part of a movement that is reshaping Liberia’s workforce and leadership.”
In the span of 18 months, Gonet Academy has successfully enrolled over 3,300 learners in five consecutive cohorts (Cohorts 8–12), with women representing 56% of participants. The data from 2025 reveals a significant portion of enrollments, particularly in Cohorts 11 and 12, totaling 1,814 participants.
This marks a 16% increase compared to the previous year. Over 2,000 students have completed their programs with an average completion rate of 80% per cohort. A substantial portion of graduates have experienced positive outcomes, including job placements, promotions, salary enhancements, and/or internships within 3-6 months of graduation.
The impact of Gonet Academy is also evident in the success of its alumni who have launched or enhanced businesses across various sectors. The alumni survey further highlights the positive impact on graduates’ knowledge, skills, career decision-making, job performance, and confidence.
The academy’s reputation is underscored by the recognition from numerous employers, including government agencies, banks, NGOs, and private companies, who acknowledge the productivity gains of their staff trained by Gonet Academy.
With Cohort 13 already underway and strategic partnerships forming with employers and development partners, the Academy aims to train over 5,000 professionals by the end of 2025.
The upcoming rollout of the Gonet Academy Virtual Learning Environment (GA-VLE) will offer free internet access to all students and trainers, extending opportunities to underserved counties through online and mobile training.
“Our strategy is not only about scale; it’s about relevance,” Richmond J. Salami, Program Quality and Delivery Manager, said recently. “We’re equipping learners to respond to the real challenges facing their communities and workplaces.”
As Liberia strives for inclusive and sustainable development, Gonet Academy remains at the forefront of workforce empowerment, turning education into a tool for leadership, innovation, and national growth—and Kerkulah is leading that charge. What a
With Lonestar MTN kick-starting its MoMo Heroes of Change 2025, there is no better time to honor a real changemaker.
“The wait is over,” MTN noted in its announcement on September 1, 2025, amplifying the anxiousness that awaits the start of the rewarding process. “From countless inspiring stories across Liberia, the Top 30 Finalists of MoMo Heroes of Change 2025 have emerged!”
Liberians took weeks to nominate individuals or organizations involved in making a difference in their communities. Nominations were made through the Lonestar Cell MTN official website.
After the nomination process, the Heroes of Change Panel of judges with expertise in health, education, youth and women’s empowerment, technology, and community development, evaluated and selected 30 entries with the approval of the Governing Council for public consideration.
Two public voting elimination rounds are now expected to take place. The five remaining contestants will compete in the finals, where three winners will emerge.
Voting is now OPEN, and it’s absolutely FREE, MTN said on Monday, September 1, 2025, urging Liberians to cast their votes and help shine the spotlight on the hero who inspires them the most. The public votes account for 30% and judges’ evaluations account for 70% to determine the winners of the MoMo Heroes of Change.
Held under the theme: “Touching Lives, Enabling Progress”, this year’s MoMo Heroes of Change will be awarded with various prizes to be won as a contribution to the work changemakers are doing: 1st Winner: 2,000,000 Liberian Dollars, 2nd Winner: 1,000,000 Liberian Dollars, and 3rd Winner: 500,000 Liberian dollars.
Let Mohammed Kerkulah be your choice. His impact, through his leadership at GonetAfrica and Gonet Academy, is everywhere for all to see. Let the Real ChangeMaker emerge!
