Established since 2005 in London, the Mary Dinah Foundation, formerly known as the Zero Hunger Initiative for women and girls, began its operations by providing food, water, and shelter to vulnerable women in Shoreditch, East London.
Outreach and drug rehabilitation program for vulnerable women in Shoreditch, East London, UK
Prison reformation program commences. Here, 250 mattresses donated to women in Kirikiri Prisons, Lagos, Nigeria
Launch of Job-Link, Nigeria’s first-ever Job Centre, which connected over 10,000 youths to work, trained 3,000 people on employability skills, and administered over 2,000 CV clinics
Initiated school feeding, providing 100,000 meals annually to all-girl schools in Nigeria to boost girl child education, ultimately leading to women’s empowerment
Expanded to providing food in emergency settings by distributing over 28 million meals to refugees and internally displaced persons living in areas of armed conflict within Northeast Nigeria and Far North Cameroon
Zero Hunger Program commences in Chad. The program has now distributed 42 million meals to refugees and vulnerable persons across West and Central Africa
MDF surpasses the 100 million milestone, with 125 million meals and food supplements distributed across Africa and more than 400,000 women trained and counselled.
To achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of Zero Hunger, we continue to provide daily meals to internally displaced persons, refugees, infants, pregnant women, people living with disabilities, and individuals in hospitals, care homes, and mental health institutions.
Founder and CEO
Trustee
Advisory Board
Advisory Board
Advisory Board
Advisory Board
Lady Mary Dinah is a renowned philanthropist and social entrepreneur transforming lives across Africa. As Founder and CEO of the Mary Dinah Foundation (MDF), she leads large-scale humanitarian programmes addressing hunger and maternal health. Through MDF’s Zero Hunger Programme—launched with USAID—over 55 million meals have been distributed across Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Sudan, reaching 102,000 beneficiaries annually.
As a Global Partner of the $250 million Maternal and Newborn Fund (MNF), Lady Mary advances long-term initiatives supporting refugee women and children across eight African nations, including Nigeria, Niger, and South Sudan. Her leadership drives healthcare access, nutrition, and child welfare
in some of the most vulnerable communities.
Appointed Special Envoy on Child Protection by the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development in 2024, she works with UNICEF and UNHCR to strengthen protection systems for children and survivors of gender-based violence.
An Oxford graduate with a Master’s in Global Business (Distinction), she has been featured on Forbes Africa’s first Philanthropy Edition and recognised with honours including the British Council Social Impact Award and MIPAD Global Top 100 Under 40.
Trustee
Damilola is a dual qualified lawyer (England & Wales and Nigeria) and currently Legal Counsel at an International Oil and Gas Company based in Nigeria. Her professional career spans over 12 years, with previous experience working for some of the most distinguished law firms in the country.
When she is not lawyering, her passion is building – building children, women, families, churches and nations. In particular, she is passionate about the role that the family structure plays in securing the future of the African child. It is this passion that led her to establish the Tolu and Dami Adelowo Foundation, which focuses on providing financial support for African charities that empower orphans and widows. She also sits on the boards of Real Talk Women Initiative, God Lovers Initiative and the Mary Dinah Foundation.
Board Observer
For five decades, Jim Emerson has worked in international development across 90 countries in Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Europe — more than half of that time living and working in neglected places where it matters most. He is a citizen of both the UK and Burkina Faso.
He has served as CEO of five large international NGOs, including Plan International, VSO, INTRAC, and The Power of Nutrition, and held senior leadership roles at Save the Children, BRAC, and the ChildFund Alliance. From villages to global boardrooms, he understands how complex organisations work — and what it takes to motivate people, lead them through change; and to build cohesion, shared values, and trust.
Jim now advises organisations on strategy and governance and mentors emerging leaders, drawing on a career spent navigating the full range of development, leadership, and management challenges: from humanitarian crises to long-term systemic change.
He recently obtained an MSc in International Strategy and Diplomacy from LSE IDEAS and has previously studied Public Health, Development Policy, Philosophy, and Theology.
Advisory Board
Mohammed is a Deputy Director and Head of Capital Mobilization and Partnerships at the Africa Finance Corporation (“AFC”) – Africa’s leading investment grade rated Multilateral Finance Institutions providing pragmatic solutions to Africa’s infrastructure requirements.
A highly versatile and result-driven finance professional, Mohammed has 20 years of experience in financial advisory, mergers & acquisitions, capital raises, infrastructure financing, development and impact investing, corporate and project finance and restructurings for private and public Sponsors in sub-Saharan Africa.
During the period of his career, Mohammed has executed transactions with cumulative value of over US$30 Bn whilst working with some of the largest financial institutions across the globe including Morgan Stanley, Renaissance Capital and currently Africa Finance Corporation where has been since 2016.
He has successfully advised, developed and led the structuring & financing of multiple transformational projects on the African Continent which have significantly contributed to the economic development of Africa creating thousands of jobs and driving intra Africa trade whilst maintaining fundamental principles of value capture & retention, energy security, financial inclusion, sustainability and resilience.
With key first-hand relationships and access to top decision makers spanning Corporates, Sponsors, Investors, Regulatory Bodies and Public Sector Institutions on the African continent and globally, Mohammed has developed an exemplary track record of originating, executing and leading financing transactions to a successful close by providing bankable financing and strategic solutions for infrastructure projects whilst actively participating and providing thought leadership on key topics driving today’s global economy including domestic resource mobilization, human capital investment, education, food security, gender based violence, industrialization, beneficiation, partnerships and collaboration.
Currently, Mohammed serves as one of the youngest Business Unit Heads at the AFC holding the position of Head of Capital Mobilization and Partnerships at the Africa Finance Corporation. Under his role, he is responsible for managing AFC’s equity capital mobilization program; global government relations and partnerships as well as origination and coverage.
In relation to personal achievements, Mohammed is a Tutu Fellow (a fellowship that recognizes young African leaders across the Continent). Mohammed was also recently recognized by the Choiseul Institute as 5th in the top 100 economic leaders in Africa under the age of 40.
With significant board room and governance experience, Mohammed serves as the only male on the Board of Directors of the Women At Risk International Foundation (“WARIF”), a non-profit organization with key focus on raising awareness and addressing the prevalence of Gender Based Violence (GBV) in Nigeria.
Lastly, he is the founder of the Dudden Hill Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on young Africans, with the objective of equipping, developing and training young Africans with real life skills required to succeed in the entrepreneurship space and corporate space. Since commencement of operations in April 2021, Dudden Hill Foundation has trained over 3,000 young Africans through our training programs and have sponsored 7 students to serve as interns in blue chip corporations such as KPMG Nigeria, Elektron Energy and The New Practice Law Firm.
Board Observer
Yinka Shonibare CBE RA is a globally recognized Nigerian-British artist celebrated for his innovative and thought-provoking works that challenge perceptions of colonialism and globalization. His signature use of vibrant Dutch wax textiles, originally a Dutch imitation of Indonesian batik, has become iconic in his art. Africans later adopted and adapted these fabrics, transforming them into a symbol of African identity and creativity.
Yinka Shonibare’s contributions to the art world have earned him prestigious recognition, including being appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2019 and elected as a Royal Academician (RA) in 2013. These honours underscore his significant impact on British culture and his standing as a leading artist.
Beyond his artistic achievements, Yinka Shonibare is a committed philanthropist. He founded the GAS Foundation, a Nigerian non-profit organization dedicated to fostering international cultural exchange and supporting creative practices. Through the GAS Foundation, he provides a platform for artists, researchers, and curators to thrive and contribute to the cultural landscape.
Yinka Shonibare’s work continues to inspire and provoke dialogue, making him a leading voice in contemporary art and a champion for cultural exchange.
Sources
Board Observer
Andy is a distinguished finance professional with an career in investing in groundbreaking technology companies across Europe and Africa. Currently, Andy is a member of a premier investment firm that has substantially backed one of the largest payment companies in Africa, based in Nigeria. This company is renowned for pushing the boundaries of innovation, delivering advanced payment solutions facilitating seamless commerce across the continent.
With a strategic acumen honed over years of experience, Andy also serves on the board of two prominent companies in France, contributing her governance and strategic insight.
Beyond her professional achievements, Andy is committed to charity. She has devoted significant time to volunteering in Southeast Asia, where she played a role in a charity that provides scholarships and educational opportunities for underprivileged children. Additionally, Andy has been involved in initiatives aimed at providing basic necessities such as food and shelter. She has personally visited orphanages to distribute food and support, underscoring her belief that addressing both fundamental needs and education is essential for creating lasting change and improving lives.