MrBeast builds $10 million village in Ghana to help children leave cocoa farms

YouTube creator Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, has unveiled a new humanitarian project in Ghana aimed at helping families affected by child labour in the cocoa industry.

The project, called Abna Dakwa Village, is described as a nearly $10 million self-sustaining community designed to provide housing, education, healthcare, clean water and other basic facilities. The initiative aims to give children an alternative to working in hazardous conditions on cocoa farms and encourage them to attend school.

MrBeast documented the project in a new YouTube video, showing viewers how the settlement was built on previously undeveloped land. According to him, the project took about a year of planning followed by eight months of construction.

The village includes a school that can accommodate more than 300 students, a medical clinic, a community marketplace and 10 free homes for teachers. Students will also receive free meals every day for five years, with support from The Rockefeller Foundation.

The project has also been designed to provide basic infrastructure that can support the community over the long term. Two large water towers will supply clean drinking water, while an off-grid solar power system is expected to provide electricity without relying entirely on traditional power infrastructure.

Agricultural facilities and fish tanks have also been included as part of the village's plan to become more self-sustaining.

The project focuses on the connection between poverty, education and child labour in the cocoa industry. West Africa remains a major source of cocoa for the global chocolate market, while international organisations have continued to document concerns over children being involved in hazardous agricultural work.

During the video, MrBeast called on consumers and major chocolate companies to pay greater attention to how cocoa is sourced. He urged viewers to demand stronger action against child exploitation in the supply chain.

The initiative also has a connection to MrBeast's Feastables chocolate brand, which has promoted ethically sourced cocoa and highlighted concerns surrounding child labour.

The village was developed through partnerships involving the 1 Billion Followers Summit, the Varkey Foundation and Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives as part of the 1 Billion Acts of Kindness campaign.

Ten other content creators from different countries also travelled to Ghana and took part in the construction effort.

The project is intended to provide more than physical infrastructure. Its stated aim is to create conditions in which children can remain in school while their families gain access to housing, healthcare, clean water and opportunities for sustainable livelihoods.