“There are not too many
Outstanding Contribution to Society Award MARY DINAH MSc International Hotel Management, 2005 Mary has been recognised for her inspirational project to alleviate poverty and hardship in Nigeria.
A major disaster in Nigeria in which seven people died and scores were injured was the catalyst Mary Dinah needed to set up a foundation to help young people in her country.
More than 100,000 people turned up for a job open day in a stadium that only held 60,000 – when the gates were opened, the crowd surged through, creating a stampede.
“It was an eye-opening moment for me and I realised that unemployment was a much bigger problem than I had imagined – Nigeria has a 50 per cent youth unemployment rate and I thought I need to do something to help solve this.”
The result was Job-Link, a foundation Mary set up having raised $1 million of funding. In five years, Job-Link has helped 10,000 young people find employment and 2,000 have received free training.
Through her work with Job-Link, Mary discovered many women have been victims of sexual harassment in the workplace. This came at the time that the terrorist group Boko Haram intensified its control on northern Nigeria and focused on stopping girls being educated. In response, Mary set up a free career counselling service for women – the Power to Women Association in partnership with the State Ministry of Women’s Affairs. It works to support victims of sexual harassment and gathers data to lobby the Nigerian Senate to pass appropriate bills into law to protect these women.
Alongside her charity work, Mary is founder and MD of M.A.D Hospitality and is currently CEO of the luxury Seattle Residences and Spa in Lagos.
She said: “There are not too many role models for young women in Nigeria so it is important they see someone from their background and ethnicity succeeding. I always take what I learn back to my community.”
role models for young women in Nigeria so it is important they see someone from their background and ethnicity succeeding. I always take what I learn back to my community.
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Forever Surrey 2019
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