Dancliff Mbura honored for leadership in the fight against hunger.PHOTO ; Action Against Hunger i
Kenya’s Dancliff Mbura, Advocacy, Communications, and Partnership Coordinator for Action Against Hunger, has been recognized among the 2025 Impact Award honorees a distinction celebrating African leadership and innovation in global humanitarian work.
Themed “Whatever It Takes,” this year’s awards celebrated individuals advancing the global fight to end hunger.
Honorees included Grammy Award-winning artist P!nk, Navyn Salem, CEO of Edesia Nutrition, and Mbura, whose leadership has redefined locally led humanitarian action in Africa.
“This is a pivotal moment for humanitarian action. The elimination of USAID has impacted nearly one-third of our programs, but our mission remains unwavering. We’re grateful for the partnership in delivering life-saving nutrition solutions,” said Dr. Charles Owubah, CEO of Action Against Hunger.
“With our supporters’ help, we will do whatever it takes to end hunger for everyone, for good.”
Leading from the Frontlines
For over a decade, Mbura has helped position Action Against Hunger’s Kenya operations as a model for locally driven humanitarian work.
His efforts in advocacy, communications, and partnerships have shaped programs across nutrition, WASH, food security, gender protection, and climate resilience, connecting emergency relief with long-term community empowerment.
Through his leadership, Action Against Hunger’s impact stories have reached wider audiences, highlighting the everyday resilience of people facing hunger and climate shocks.
His approach reflects a belief that true progress depends on collaboration among government, civil society, and the private sector to design solutions that last.
“With major shifts in humanitarian funding, organizations like Action Against Hunger need support now more than ever,” said Mo Rocca, who emceed the gala. “I was honored to help raise awareness and resources for this critical work.”
Recognition Beyond Borders
The Action Against Hunger Impact Awards celebrate conviction as much as achievement.
For Mbura, the honor underscores a commitment to amplifying African voices in global humanitarian spaces where key decisions are made.
His recognition stood alongside that of Navyn Salem, who founded Edesia Nutrition in 2009 to combat global malnutrition.
Edesia’s fortified peanut-based products, including Plumpy’Nut, have reached more than 27 million children in 65 countries, with its partnership with Action Against Hunger continuing to save lives in crisis zones worldwide.
Global artist P!nk received the Humanitarian Award for her advocacy and fundraising efforts around food security and disaster response.
“This partnership and recognition reflect our shared belief that meaningful progress can only be achieved with people at the center,” Dr. Owubah said. “Through leaders like Dancliff Mbura, we are investing in the future of our societies.”
Standing Strong Against Hunger
This year’s awards supported the Standing Strong Against Hunger Campaign, launched to close a $6 million funding gap following the elimination of USAID funding.
The campaign has already raised $2.65 million, including two transformational gifts of $1 million each.
These funds are sustaining life-saving programs that reach 21 million people across 59 countries, treating over 750,000 malnourished children annually with a 90% recovery rate.
The interventions span climate-smart agriculture and plant-based nutrition innovations, helping communities withstand escalating environmental and economic pressures.
An African Story of Impact
Mbura’s recognition reflects a broader shift in how humanitarian leadership is defined, moving beyond dependency narratives toward shared accountability and local ownership.
In regions like the Horn of Africa, where hunger intersects with climate and displacement, his work has helped reframe partnerships as tools for resilience built from the ground up.
By ensuring African perspectives shape global humanitarian policy, Mbura represents a generation redefining what it means to lead with purpose.
His acknowledgment among the 2025 honorees reinforces a powerful truth: the solutions to hunger often begin with those living its daily realities.
As Action Against Hunger continues to press forward despite global funding challenges, its message remains clear a call echoed in Dr. Owubah’s words: “With our supporters’ help, we will do whatever it takes to end hunger for everyone, for good.”
About Action Against Hunger
Action Against Hunger is a leading international humanitarian organization that takes decisive action against the causes and effects of hunger.
For more than 40 years, it has led global efforts to save the lives of malnourished children while supporting their families through sustainable solutions in nutrition, health, water, sanitation, and food security.
Working in more than 50 countries, the organization reaches over 21 million people each year with programs that build resilience, promote self-sufficiency, and ensure communities can thrive free from hunger.
