Charity leader honoured with public service award by University of Leicester
Dr Mary-Justine Todd with Martin Cullen, Chair of the Alumni Association.
A charity leader who has transformed protections for women experiencing violence across the Middle East and North Africa has been recognised by her alma mater.
Dr Mary-Justine Todd was presented with the Dr Mark Sims Award for Public Service at the University of Leicester’s Alumni Awards Dinner last week, in the star-studded surroundings of the city’s iconic National Space Centre.
Generations of former students of the University reunited as seven award winners were celebrated on the night, with the event sponsored by Space Park Leicester, More Sailing, BHW Solicitors, the University of Leicester Centre for Endangered Archaeology and Heritage, University of Leicester Services for Business, and The Belmont Hotel, De Montfort Street, Leicester.
Dr Mary‑Justine Todd is Founder and CEO of Shamsaha, a nonprofit established in 2013, and has built the region’s first large‑scale, volunteer‑driven crisis‑response organisation for survivors of gender‑based violence, trafficking, and exploitation. Under her leadership, Shamsaha now operates in ten countries, has partnered with more than 75 organisations, mobilised 150+ trained crisis volunteers, and directly supported over 100,000 women.
Throughout her PhD in Law at the University of Leicester, Dr Todd continued to lead Shamsaha including through humanitarian emergencies, ensuring uninterrupted support during the wars in Gaza and Sudan and now during the ongoing crisis in the Middle East - maintaining and even expanding services precisely when violence against women was rising. She has raised and managed $1.5 million since 2020, sustaining crisis services in some of the world’s most challenging environments.
In response to severe access barriers, Dr Todd designed Shamsaha’s innovative mobile app, funded in part by the L’Oréal Fund for Women, allowing women to seek confidential, culturally sensitive help even under surveillance or movement restrictions. The app earned the Most Innovative App Award from the Empowering a Billion Women initiative.
Her longstanding public service has been further recognised through numerous awards such as EY’s Middle East Winning Women Award (winner 2018), the United Nations Population Fund Innovation in Impact (finalist 2025), and Visa 'She's Next' (finalist 2025).
Dr Todd said: “I am deeply honoured to receive the Dr Mark Sims Memorial Award for Public Service from the University of Leicester.
“This award is especially meaningful because it reflects an appreciation for public service that can sometimes feel overlooked for those on the ground. Through Shamsaha, our team has worked to expand support for women experiencing violence across the Middle East and North Africa, often in very challenging circumstances. This recognition belongs to the many staff, volunteers, partners, and survivors who have been part of that journey.
“I would like to personally thank the University, the President and Vice-Chancellor C Sir Nishan Canagarajah, and my advisor, Professor Kimberley Brayson, for all of their support.”
Dr Mark Sims Memorial Award for Public Service recognises an alumna who has had a positive impact on society through community work, fundraising or volunteering. It is named in memory of Leicester alumnus Dr Mark Sims, who raised thousands of pounds for cancer research following his own diagnosis.
Professor Sir Nishan Canagarajah, University of Leicester President and Vice-Chancellor, said: “Dr Todd’s work demonstrates courageous, community‑centred leadership and a sustained commitment to protecting and empowering vulnerable women across the region. Her work continues to be both necessary and vital, and her dedication to it truly embodies the principles of our Citizens of Change and the spirit of the Dr Mark Sims Award.”