Cherif Mohamed Aly Aidara
Cherif Mohamed Aly Aidara is a Senegalese-Mauritanian Shia religious leader who is known for his work on international development in West Africa.[1] Of mixed Mauritanian and Fulani descent, Cherif Mohamed Aly Aidara was born in 1959 in Darou Hidjiratou, a village in Bonconto Commune, Kolda Region, southern Senegal that was founded by his father.His father is Cherif Al-Hassane Aidara, a Mauritanian man from the Al Lakhal branch of the Laghlal tribe of Mauritania who claims descent from Moulay Idriss of the Idrisid dynasty, while his mother is Maimouna Diao, a Senegalese Peul (Fulani) woman from the Diao clan.[9] During his early career, Aidara focused his development and educational projects mostly in the Casamance region (Fouladou) of southern Senegal, but has since expanded beyond Senegal into other parts of West Africa, including Mali, Guinea Bissau, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, and other African countries.[7] He has built and expanded the Mozdahir community across Senegalese cities such as Dakar, Dahra Djoloff, Kolda, Ziguinchor, Saloum, and Vélingara.