The GEANCO Foundation is an exemplar in the delivery of complex philanthropic projects in Africa. They lead complex surgical missions to Nigeria, and through a network of modern, solar-powered rural family clinics, they help pregnant women to safely deliver healthy babies & vaccinate infants. GEANCO schools and education programs are also carrying out transformational work – providing full tuition, healthcare, social and psychological support to young female survivors of terrorism and gender inequality in Nigeria.
In this interview, I speak to the CEO of the GEANCO Foundation, Afam Onyema. We discuss how philanthropy became the core focus of his life’s work, how to deliver effective change in complex environments, and how he’s managed to secure an extraordinary group donors and supporters including: Oprah Winfrey, Angelina Jolie, Benedict Cumberbatch, Charlize Theron, David Oyelowo, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Chris Rock, Zoe Saldana, Rachel Brosnahan, Jimmy Kimmel, Tyrese, Thandiwe Newton, Jeff Daniels, Daisy Ridley, Bryan Cranston, Forest Whitaker, Yvonne Orji, Uzo Aduba, Carmen Ejogo, Lee Daniels & Steven Soderbergh.
Q: How did philanthropy and impact become the mission of your life?
[Afam Onyema]: It’s crazy to think about now, but looking back, like many things, it all really began with my parents. Both of them are native Nigerians, born and raised in Nigeria. My dad attended a British boarding school when Nigeria was still a British colony. This was in the 1940s and 50s, and during his time there, he formed a connection with a British missionary doctor—one of the few female doctors in the country at the time. She saw potential in him and took him under her wing, teaching him about medicine, including malaria and delivering babies, at a young age. This experience sparked his passion for both medicine and service.
The doctor had left Liverpool to serve in Nigeria, and my dad made a promise to her and to his own father that he would pursue his studies abroad but return to Nigeria to continue the work she had started. He met my mom in Nigeria while she was studying to be a nurse. They got married and then moved to the U.S., specifically Chicago, with the plan to learn about modern medicine, raise some money, and eventually return to Nigeria. But as the second of four kids, I came along, and they realized that the opportunities in the States were too valuable to leave behind, especially given the challenges Nigeria was facing—military coups, religious violence, and corruption, issues that persist today. They decided it wouldn’t be fair to uproot us, so they stayed, allowing us to live full, rich lives, while keeping the idea of returning to help Nigeria in mind for the future.
We grew up in the Chicago area, and my dad always talked about this one doctor and his dream. It didn’t resonate with me at first. I used to think, “Dad, when I’m rich or famous, I’ll help you out, give you some money, support it,” but I had my own dreams and was clear on what I wanted to do. However, the idea of service always stuck with me. When I went to Harvard for undergrad, I was surrounded by classmates focused on political power, financial success, and cultural influence—all great pursuits. But for me, the question was, “How can I serve? How can I use this platform to serve?”
I learned more about my dad’s dream and started studying Nigeria, still intending to have my own career but hoping to support the cause in my free time, whether through pro bono work, influence, or financial support. I worked in public relations for a big corporate firm for three years before attending Stanford Law School, where I became increasingly involved in finding ways to help Nigeria. I’d go to law school classes and then head over to the medical school to learn about malaria, HIV, or maternal and infant mortality. I even took courses at the business school on running nonprofits. Eventually, I was juggling both my law studies and this emerging passion for helping Nigeria.
When I was faced with lucrative offers from law firms, I had to choose between pursuing this nascent idea of running a foundation full-time or accepting a law firm job, knowing I couldn’t do both well. If I chose the law firm, the idea of a foundation would die—there was no one else in the family willing or able to take it on full-time. I knew that despite the firms’ promises, I wouldn’t be able to manage it in my pro bono time. I woke up every day both inspired and terrified by the thought of building something from scratch and helping to save lives. It’s a pretty good way to live, being both inspired and terrified. So, I turned down the offers, took the bar exam in California, moved to Los Angeles in August 2007, and started working to build GEANCO into something meaningful.
Q: How have you been able to mobilise major celebrity and donor support?
[Afam Onyema]: When I look back and think about it, even now, it amazes me. I’ll mention some of these names to people, and they’ll say, “You said that like it was normal.” But it’s not normal, not for the people or the groups I’m talking about. For me, it’s about the power of storytelling. Everything we do is rooted in story. When I reach out to someone and introduce myself as the CEO leading celebrity outreach for the GEANCO Foundation, it’s not just a job for me. If I were just looking for a better retirement package or a higher salary, I could go to Doctors Without Borders or UNICEF. But this is my family’s story, my father’s dream. I made a decision to give up a lot financially to pursue this, and I’m happy to do so because this is my purpose. I’m not going anywhere.
Sometimes, people think you need to talk about statistics—how many kids die, how many girls are out of school. And that’s important, we need those stats to make the reality clear. But people resonate with stories. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sat with some of the most famous or richest people in the world, and when you share a story, you can see them reflecting on their own families, their own experiences, their relationships with their parents—whether good or bad. They begin to see themselves as part of this story. They realize I’m speaking to them human to human.
It’s about finding the right balance between being bold, patient, and persistent. When I first got to LA, I realized that while you can raise money through corporate giving, government grants, and individual donors, the Hollywood world offers a whole other level of credibility and support. Nigeria, unfortunately, has a reputation for corruption and scams, so I thought if we can get people who are implicitly trusted by millions to support us, we can overcome some of that doubt. I told my dad from the beginning, we’re fighting both disease and doubt, and we have to tackle them simultaneously.
For me, it’s been about building relationships and getting to know people. My first ask in any meeting wasn’t for money or to put their name on something; it was simply for a second meeting, an opportunity to show them what we’re doing and what we’re building. It took time, but eventually, people realized I wasn’t going anywhere. I found different ways to meet people, whether at conferences or other events, and the key was not being shy about asking for help—asking if someone knows a particular person or if they can make an introduction.
One invaluable resource has been leaning hard on my alumni networks from Harvard and Stanford. These networks connect you to people who might be lawyers for top film stars or business managers for someone like Oprah. So, I could approach them as a “crazy alum” from Harvard or Stanford, trying to do something meaningful, and they’d often give me a chance because of that shared connection. They’d make introductions or offer support. For me, it’s about not thinking it’s crazy to reach out to an Oscar winner or a billionaire, but realizing it takes patience and time.
I believe a lot of failure comes from people not knocking that 18th time—they’ll knock 17 times but give up just before the breakthrough. I’m in this until someone tells me, “No, go away, we don’t want to do this.” I respect that, but until then, I’ll keep finding ways to build those relationships. And once I have them, I make sure to show them that we’re worthy of their trust and support by proving we’re actually making a difference on the ground in Nigeria.
Q: How have you built trust from donors, and from partners on the ground?
[Afam Onyema]: I tell people, yes, I might be in Beverly Hills or at the Oscars, but we’re not some glitzy Hollywood organization with no real connection to Nigeria. We’re not just coming over and dumping things in Nigeria—we are Nigeria. I was born in America, I’m American, but my parents are Nigerian, our family is in Nigeria, and we have deep connections in the country. We work directly with people in the Nigerian community, asking, “What can we do? How can we serve?” We’re blessed to have an amazing team on the ground in Nigeria.
For example, as we speak, we’re hosting a STEM education summit for girls just outside Lagos. Hundreds of girls are learning about AI, 3D printing, and various internet technologies. We were able to execute this program, funded by a grant from Smiths Group, a UK-based organization, because they trust us to deliver. We have people on the ground who work directly with schools, local governments, community groups, and village elders. This base of support has been earned over the past 20 years. We started early, built relationships, and asked, “How can we help? How can we serve?” Then we proved that when we say we’ll do something, we follow through.
If a community needs a clinic, we’ll build it. If they need something else, we’ll provide it. People have come to realize that GEANCO gets things done—we’re not looking to extract anything or impose unwanted solutions. We work with governments, keeping a respectful distance, ensuring they know what we’re doing without asking for their money. We tell them, “If you want this clinic to succeed, let us handle it. We’ll fund it and take care of it, just don’t interfere.” They often respond with enthusiasm, realizing they can claim credit for these clinics without having to pay for them, which only encourages further support.
We’re also very rigorous with our financials. Since I started this in the fall of 2007, every expense—from a $100,000 clinic to sandwiches for a donor meeting—has been meticulously accounted for, with receipts and audits. This transparency has built a strong level of trust; people know exactly where their money is going. I’m proud that we have strong roots in Nigeria, as well as a solid base of support here in the U.S. and elsewhere.
Q: What is the importance of culture in effective impact?
[Afam Onyema]: I think it’s about having a bit of courage and realizing that these are important issues we can’t ignore because people are suffering due to the lack of attention. The challenge is to show courage and respect for the culture while also not being bound by the taboos and misinformation. We respect the culture, but some things shouldn’t be part of it, and younger generations are pushing for change.
For example, we work with girls through the David Oyelowo Leadership Scholarship, and my team often hears them say, “Oh my God, I’m bleeding, take me to the hospital.” It’s clear no one has talked to them about menstruation or what’s happening to their bodies. These girls are the ones bringing these issues to us, and some are also dealing with trauma and serious mental health challenges, yet there’s no vocabulary for that in their communities.
So, we realized we need to start with the younger generation, who are more open to these conversations. Because they’re connected on social media and have different perspectives, we can make progress there. I understand that these topics are culturally sensitive, but sometimes you have to push and break down barriers. Having great partners, especially in menstrual and mental health, makes a huge difference. When figures like Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, two of the most prominent people in the world, openly discuss their mental health struggles and the importance of menstrual health, it changes the conversation. Suddenly, people think, “My goodness, these are people I’ve heard about, and they’re here, face-to-face, addressing these issues.”
For us, it’s about having cultural fluency. My team might say, “We can’t talk about this directly because it would be offensive, but we can approach it like that,” or “We can’t do this now, but we can do that,” or “Let’s give it some time to soak in.” Because I’m committed to GEANCO for the rest of my life, we have the patience and runway to take a long-term approach. I’m not in a rush to see results in two years and then move on; we’re here for the long haul. So, we start small, knowing we’re gradually changing the culture as we go.
I’m really proud of the fact that, in a relatively short amount of time, we’ve managed to change the conversation about mental health and menstrual health in Nigeria.
Q: How have those you have reached- your beneficiaries- gone on to become ambassadors for your work?
[Afam Onyema]: Some of the girls who have graduated from our program have come back to teach other girls in our refugee camps. It’s truly amazing. We’ve even hired some of them as staff and interns, which shows how strong the desire to give back is among these girls.
We tell them, “Listen, we want to educate and empower you in every way—through education, STEM, mental health, and more. What you do with that is up to you. If you choose to get married, live in a village, and lead a quiet life, we’ll be so proud of you. We’re not saying you have to become president or a Nobel Prize-winning scientist. But if that’s your dream, by all means, pursue it.” Our goal is to help them live happy, fulfilled, empowered lives. These girls are so precious to us, and the transformation they undergo during the six-year scholarship is incredible.
When they start, many are frightened, emaciated, and traumatized beyond what I can even comprehend. But over the years, you see the change—by year one, by year two, and by year six, they’re talking about becoming the head of nursing at a university, a governor, or the head of the police. They want to give back, volunteer for GEANCO, and help us grow. It’s such a blessing to see them become advocates and supporters. Their success not only boosts our credibility but also allows us to do more. We can go to our donors and supporters and show them the tangible difference their contributions are making—not just in these girls’ lives but in their communities and the country as a whole.
It’s well known that when you educate a girl, you change her community. Girls often choose to invest resources and focus on others in ways that can be more communal than what we see with many boys and men. Of course, we do a lot for boys and men as well—they’re part of our mental health program, our healthcare program, and our clinics. But there’s something special about investing in these girls and watching them flourish.
Q: What are wider benefits- the spillover effects- you have seen from your work?
[Afam Onyema]: … the girls in our leadership scholarship program are specifically being prepared to become leaders in their communities in Nigeria. That’s our focus. People often approach me asking if they can sponsor a scholarship for a girl to attend a university in the US or UK, and I always tell them that there are amazing charities that do that, but that’s not our mission. We invest in these girls in Nigeria, and everything we do is about them staying and contributing to their country—not because we want to keep them in Nigeria, but because so many of them genuinely want to make Nigeria better.
Sometimes there’s too much emphasis on girls wanting to leave, and while some do, the majority of the girls I speak to—when I visit twice a year—just want to improve their communities, their schools, and their country. That’s not something we impose on them; it’s their own focus. However, if one of our girls were to leave the program and get a scholarship to Harvard, I’d be the first to buy her a Harvard T-shirt. I’d be incredibly proud, because even if they leave, many still want to contribute to Nigeria in some way.
Our focus is on supporting these girls in Nigeria, and over the years, we haven’t had many asking to be taken to Texas or the UK. The economic benefits we witness, particularly in our clinics, are wonderful. Women are delivering safely, children are getting vaccinated, and we’re seeing a change in family planning. Women who used to have many children because they feared losing some now realize they can have a baby in a clinic that offers dignity and high-quality care. As a result, they’re having fewer children, confident that their babies will survive. This has led to a decrease in maternal and infant mortality rates, as well as a reduction in the overall number of childbirths in these communities.
Third-party evaluations of the two states where we have clinics, compared to the other 34 states in Nigeria, show rising health indicators. While we can’t claim full credit, we’re certainly part of that story—fewer women dying in childbirth, more babies surviving to age five, getting vaccinated, and even men receiving prostate exams for the first time. Our medical missions, where we perform surgeries like hernia repairs, gallbladder surgeries, and hip and knee replacements, have direct economic benefits. People are able to return to work and school, improving their quality of life.
For example, a child with a painful hernia who couldn’t attend school is now back in class, or a farmer who couldn’t work due to a knee issue can now return to the fields after surgery. The impact is profound—not only for the individual but for their family and community as well. The benefits multiply when we take care of one girl or one person, as their success ripples out to everyone around them.
Q: How do you counter health misinformation?
[Afam Onyema]: …because we have that trust and because we’re not coming in as outsiders. No offense to the big NGOs, but we approach this as fellow Nigerians. We can say, “You know us—my auntie lives next to you,” or “We’re distant cousins.” When the governor is speaking to another governor, it’s with the understanding that we’ve been working together for years. Why would we bring in something harmful after all the time and money we’ve invested?
We work closely with village leaders, local doctors, and especially traditional birth attendants (TBAs), who are incredibly skilled through life experience, even if they’re not formally trained as registered nurses. They are invaluable in reassuring the community, saying, “No, no, you can trust GEANCO. I’ve been working with them, and what they’re doing is good and right.”
Having these local ambassadors is crucial, and we never force anything on anyone. We’ve never had a program that’s been rejected. Even with surgeries, where there might be fear—like, “Will I die if I get surgery?”—we rely on people who’ve had surgeries to share their positive experiences, saying, “I had surgery five years ago, and I’m so much better now.”
We really lean on local advocates and ambassadors and have built a lot of trust within these communities. In fact, they often come to us, asking if we can do more, if we can add new programs, or help them in additional ways.
Q: Why Nigeria, Why Now?
[Afam Onyema]: People are often shocked when I tell them that 1 out of 5 Africans is Nigerian, and by 2050, Nigeria is projected to be the 4th or 3rd most populous country in the world. The continent is going to be the place to be—it’s the youngest continent, with immense potential for growth. However, it also has the potential to become a powder keg, with so many young, disaffected Africans and Nigerians. It could go either way.
I tell people that investing their dollar, pound, or whatever currency in Nigeria goes so much farther. When I explain how much it costs to build a clinic or educate a girl, they’re often amazed. They realize that with a relatively small amount of money, they can have a direct, personal impact—they can literally build a clinic or sponsor a class of girls themselves. It’s very direct.
People often say they love Afrobeat, the music, the culture, and that they have Nigerian friends. Nigerians who leave Nigeria thrive—they excel in the UK, the US, as doctors, lawyers, engineers, athletes, and actors. We have so many supporters who are actors, athletes, and executives. The brilliance of Nigerians abroad is undeniable, and that same brilliance exists in Nigeria. I tell people that if we just provide the tools, these brilliant Nigerians will help us all. We’ll all benefit from having them work on projects like curing cancer, advancing AI, and improving education. We already see this brilliance in music, culture, and the arts—so why not in medicine, science, and education?
In the end, I want people to recognize the importance of Africa, the importance of Nigeria, and to think of GEANCO when they want to help. I want us to be the go-to vehicle for supporting Nigeria. And it’s happening—people are coming to us, saying they want to help Nigeria, but they don’t want to waste their money or work with someone who might disappear in a year or two. They see that we’ve been at this for 20 years and ask if we can partner together.
Even big names are approaching us, saying they want to support us because they see our track record with other well-known figures and how well we treat them. They want to lend their name to something established, not something new. My job is to reassure those who’ve been with us for two decades and to bring in new supporters, saying, “Hey, you can continue to be a brilliant doctor, lawyer, or actor, and work with us. Let us do the hard work, and we’ll partner together.”
This approach has been well-received so far, and I’m eager to have more and more people join us.