In what he describes as his most ambitious philanthropic project to date, YouTube megastar Jimmy Donaldson, known globally as MrBeast, has constructed a fully self-sustaining community in Ghana valued at nearly $10 million.

The initiative, named Abna Dakwa Village, was designed to break the cycle of poverty and illegal child labour in West Africa’s cocoa-farming regions.

Built on previously undeveloped land over the course of eight months, the project was aimed at giving hundreds of children a direct path from cocoa fields to classrooms.

What MrBeast Built

Earlier in January 2026, MrBeast launched the 1 Billion Acts of Kindness campaign, a global social movement aimed at harnessing the influence of digital creators to drive positive actions across communities worldwide.

During the launch, 20 content creators were selected to partner with MrBeast on a large-scale project in Ghana designed to improve essential services.

"We are going to Ghana. There is this village that desperately needs help. We will go there, build a hospital, wells, supply them with water and education," he said.

Eight months later, in the video posted on his YouTube channel on September 19, 2026, MrBeast shared a step-by-step breakdown of how he began construction of the village.

It first started with a state-of-the-art school designed to educate over 300 children.

Next to the school were 10 fully constructed, free homes to recruit and retain qualified educators.

Two massive clean water towers, paired with an off-grid solar energy grid to power the settlement independently, were then constructed.

A bridge leading from the community to the school was also renovated, enabling children to safely go to school without the risk of drowning.

But the school was not the only focus of the project.

A dedicated medical clinic and a central community marketplace for local trade were also constructed and staffed.

Agricultural facilities and commercial fish tanks were also added to provide steady local food production and revenue.

An ultra-modern washroom facility was also constructed.

To ensure high school attendance rates, MrBeast collaborated with global philanthropic partners, including The Rockefeller Foundation, to guarantee free daily meals for every student for the next five years.

Why he did this

MrBeast owns a widely popular chocolate brand called Feastables. One of the sources of cocoa for his brand is Ghana.

In Ghana and other cocoa-producing countries in West Africa, economic strain often forces young children to work on cocoa farms instead of attending school.

According to MrBeast, by providing free housing for teachers, healthcare, meals and modern farming infrastructure, the initiative directly eases the financial pressures on local families.

The massive build took over a year of planning and involved international development partners, including the 1 Billion Followers Summit, the Varkey Foundation and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet.

Ten content creators from across the globe, including Ghanaian YouTuber Wode Maya, also travelled to Ghana to work alongside construction crews and local workers on-site.

Reactions

Among international audiences and general YouTube fans, the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive.

However, many were quick to point out one thing: it took an American YouTuber just $10 million to rebuild a self-sustaining village in a year.

Yet the government spends hundreds of millions on fantasy projects which in no way help the ordinary Ghanaian.

Many netizens used the video as a wake-up call for more effort to be made to ensure the ordinary Ghanaian benefits from their taxes.

Watch the video below:



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