Mary Dinah Foundation Ships Over 12 Million Meals Across Africa As U.S. Resumes Aid

Kasim Sumaina in Abuja

The Mary Dinah Foundation (MDF), a prominent African NGO focused on combating malnutrition and improving maternal and child health, has completed a major shipment of nutrition aid from the United States to some of the most vulnerable communities in West and Central Africa.

In a statement confirmed by the Regional Nutrition Director of the Foundation, Jerry Ezike, the consignment—thirteen 40-foot shipping containers loaded in New York—contains 18,180 cartons of specialized food supplies scheduled for distribution across three high-need areas: Yobe State in north-east Nigeria, the Minawao Refugee Camp in Cameroon’s Far North, and Chad’s Lac Province.

Each of these locations has been severely impacted by years of armed conflict, mass displacement, and economic hardship, leaving residents heavily reliant on humanitarian relief.

The delivery is part of MDF’s Zero Hunger Program (ZHP), which currently supports 102,000 people.

The shipment provides over twelve million therapeutic meals, aimed at sustaining vulnerable women and children through the difficult lean season.

This milestone comes months after USAID announced the closure of over 5,000 programs worldwide, a move that disrupted vital humanitarian operations. However, MDF’s Zero Hunger Program was preserved due to its critical, lifesaving role.

The current operation involves a complex chain of logistics—sea freight, overland transport, customs clearance, and final delivery to clinics and remote communities.

“Once in-country the food packages will provide vital nutrients to pregnant and breastfeeding women, and help treat or prevent malnutrition in children under two.

MDF’s fi eld teams, many of whom are from the same crisis-hit communities they serve, work alongside local health workers to ensure the aid reaches those most in need,” Ezike explained.

With conflict and instability still threatening millions across Nigeria, Cameroon, and Chad, the Foundation’s latest effort underscores its resilience and the importance of collaboration between grassroots actors, global donors, and humanitarian agencies in building food-secure futures.