By Gabriel Ewepu 

ABUJA – IN a recent CNN interview broadcast live from N’Djamena, Chad, Lady Mary Dinah, Founder and CEO of the Mary Dinah Foundation (MDF), highlighted the serious malnutrition challenges facing women and children amid the Sudanese refugee crisis and ongoing conflict in the region.

Speaking on the ground, Lady Mary drew attention to the severe strain on resources in eastern Chad, where Sudanese refugees have sought safety. 

She noted that malnutrition is at an all-time high, with global acute malnutrition rates reaching 18% in many refugee communities along the eastern border. 

In worst-hit areas like Ouaddai and Ennedi, she disclosed that food is painfully scarce, while pregnant women and children—who need urgent nutritional support—are bearing the brunt of the crisis.

“Malnutrition is at an all-time high. We’re seeing 18% global acute malnutrition in those communities, those refugee communities on the eastern border of Chad”, she said.

 She also pointed out the added difficulties for pregnant women, who require more nutritional support due to scarce food supplies.Behind every statistic is a mother or child struggling in overcrowded conditions, where displacement has worsened access to basic nutrition and increased vulnerability.

By partnering with the US Government, and local actors, MDF’s Zero Hunger Program is fortifying families and rebuilding resilience in some of Africa’s most fragile contexts — proving that effective, community-rooted nutrition action can be a powerful shield against crisis.

While raising awareness is critical, the Mary Dinah Foundation goes far beyond words. Through its flagship Zero Hunger Nutrition Program, MDF delivers large-scale, targeted, and structured interventions that are saving lives every day. 

Key components include: Integrated Humanitarian Response Models: Combining nutrition delivery with essential complementary services such as Maternal, Infant and Young Child Feeding (MIYCF) training, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) education, immunization linkage, ante-natal care, and gender-based violence referrals.

Survivor-Centred Protection Services: Holistic support that addresses not only immediate nutritional needs but also the heightened risks of sexual and gender-based violence, mental health challenges, and long-term resilience-building for displaced women and children.