Melvin holds his Program Director role alongside his current position as Regional Director for West & East Africa at Sustainable Development Initiatives (SDI). A dynamic development leader with over a decade of experience across West Africa, he brings deep expertise in strategic programme management, government partnerships, and scaling community-led initiatives. As Program Director, he leads the global strategy, design, and implementation of 'The Journey' - Project Yananai's marriage preparation course that takes participants from singleness through courtship, engagement, and into Christ-centred marriage.

Melvin's career has been defined by leading complex, multi-country programmes and building partnerships that make them sustainable. As Regional Director at SDI, he leads high-level engagement with governments across West and East Africa, oversees multi-country programme portfolios, drives resource mobilisation and develops high-performing multicultural teams. Earlier, as Country Director at CIFORD in Sierra Leone, he increased programme reach by 40% and annual revenue by 60%, expanded service delivery networks by 50%, and reduced operational costs by 20%. His experience also includes senior roles at Marie Stopes International, where he oversaw over $13 million in programme funding; at BRAC Sierra Leone/Mastercard Foundation; at UNICEF Sierra Leone as Head of Programs; and at ActionAid International-Sierra Leone in partnership and fundraising roles.

At Project Yananai, Melvin is the global lead for the entire 'The Journey' programme lifecycle from content development and learning platforms to mentor recruitment, learner acquisition, cohort management, counselling, and practical support for couples. He leads a team of National Program Managers across Project Yananai's focus countries and develops culturally adaptable pathways to courtship and marriage, including arranged-style routes, with robust safeguarding at every step.

Melvin holds a Master of Science in Management of Sustainable Development Goals from LUMSA University in Italy, a Master in Sustainable Development (M.A) with Distinction from the University of Makeni, and a B.Sc. in Applied Economics from UNIMTECH/Njala University. His skills span strategic leadership, financial oversight, fundraising and grants management, cross-cultural team leadership, risk management, and stakeholder engagement.

Melvin is a natural mentor and coach with a deep commitment to community-led development. He brings strategic vision, cross-cultural collaboration and a data-driven approach to programme improvement, alongside the empathy and cultural sensitivity required to support individuals through personal relationship journeys. He is passionate about building healthy families through faith-based adult education and is committed to seeing 'The Journey' transform marriages and families across Project Yananai's focus countries and beyond.