The Special Assistant to the Kaduna State Governor on School Feeding Programme, Dr Fauziya Buhari-Ado, says the scheme has continued to empower women employed as cooks and supports local farmers.
She also called for stronger humanitarian leadership and strategic partnerships to combat hunger and promote sustainable economic transformation across Africa.
Dr. Fauziya, who made the call while receiving the 2025 4th Humanitarian Bootcamp Award in Nairobi, Kenya, according to a statement she personally signed and released on Friday morning.
In her presentation, titled “Feeding the Future: Leveraging Humanitarian Leadership to Achieve Food Security and Economic Transformation in Africa,” Dr. Buhari-Ado expressed profound appreciation to Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, for his vision, trust, and leadership in championing the Kaduna State School Feeding Programme, a flagship social intervention that provides daily meals to thousands of schoolchildren across the state.
“Governor Uba Sani’s confidence in my capacity to serve has made it possible to impact the lives of children across Kaduna State,” she stated. “Under his leadership, the School Feeding Programme has become a model of inclusive development — improving nutrition, boosting school attendance, empowering women, and supporting local farmers.”
She described the initiative as a holistic approach that strengthens multiple sectors of the economy, noting that every meal served goes beyond nourishment to symbolise hope, care, and opportunity for the next generation.
“Each meal we provide is not just food; it is a bridge to learning, a shield against poverty, and a promise that we see these children, we care for them, and we will not abandon them,” Dr. Buhari-Ado said. “Feeding our children is not charity — it is nation-building.”
She further stressed that food security must be viewed as a strategic pillar of Africa’s social and economic development, adding that eradicating hunger is essential to ensuring stability, productivity, and peace across the continent.
Dr. Buhari-Ado also paid tribute to outstanding women leaders who have played pivotal roles in advancing humanitarian and leadership development across Africa. She commended Dr. Martina Nentawe Yilwatda, Patron of the Women’s Leadership Network, for her foresight and mentorship, and Mrs. Deborah Hornecker, the Network’s founder, for her resilience and commitment to women’s empowerment.
“The Women’s Leadership Network represents a powerful platform for collaboration and transformation,” she noted. “It brings together professional women from diverse sectors to drive inclusion, social impact, and leadership development across communities.”
In her closing remarks, Dr. Buhari-Ado urged governments, development partners, civil society organizations, and the private sector to work collectively to end hunger in Africa.
“When the day comes that no African child — and no African adult — goes to bed hungry, we will know that we have truly fed the future — not through power, but through humanity, compassion, and love,” she concluded.
The school feeding programme in Kaduna state is funded annually with over N4bn, according to data by the state government.
The state also noted that it feeds over 730,000 pupils and has over 7,000 cooks employed to prepare meals in a total of 3,400 schools.
The scheme aims to increase enrollment, support the local economy, and improve the nutrition of pupils.
Similarly, on October 3, 2025, President Bola Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to reducing child malnutrition and improving school enrolment through the Renewed Hope Mo’Feed Project, a school feeding and empowerment initiative designed to reach over 600,000 vulnerable Nigerians across the six geopolitical zones.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on School Feeding, Dr. Yetunde Adeniji, who represented the President, said this at the official launch of the project in Lagos.
She said the initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda by tackling food insecurity, poverty, and gaps in education.
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