YouTuber and philanthropist MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, has responded to criticism over his latest charitable project in Ghana after an X user questioned why he was spending nearly $10 million overseas instead of doing more for his hometown of Greenville, North Carolina.
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Donaldson recently unveiled Abna Dakwa Village in Ghana’s Eastern Region, a nearly $10 million project designed to provide education, healthcare, clean water and economic opportunities to families in cocoa-growing communities affected by child labour. The project was featured in his latest video, which documents the construction of the community.
The village includes a school capable of accommodating more than 300 students, 10 homes for teachers, a medical clinic, community marketplace, clean-water infrastructure, solar power systems and agricultural facilities. Students are also set to receive free school meals for five years, with support from The Rockefeller Foundation.
MrBeast responds to criticism
As coverage of the Ghana project spread online, one X user questioned why Donaldson was not doing more in Greenville, where he grew up.
The user pointed to Greenville’s poverty rate while asking why the YouTuber was directing such a large philanthropic investment to Ghana.
Donaldson responded by highlighting the work carried out through his nonprofit, Beast Philanthropy.
“I literally do. I have a 501c non profit and have 10s of MILLIONS of meals in America, many in my local community,” he wrote. “If I listed all the philanthropic things we do locally I literally wouldn’t be able to fit it in this tweet.”
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