The Special Assistant to the Kaduna State Governor on School Feeding Programme, Dr. Fauziya Buhari-Ado, has highlighted the transformative impact of the state’s school feeding initiative, describing it as a powerful tool for women’s empowerment, agricultural growth, and social development.
Dr. Buhari-Ado, who made the remarks while receiving the **2025 4th Humanitarian Bootcamp Award** in Nairobi, Kenya, emphasized that the programme has continued to empower thousands of women employed as cooks while strengthening the livelihoods of local farmers who supply food ingredients to schools across the state.
In a statement personally signed and released on Friday, she called for stronger humanitarian leadership and cross-sector collaboration to combat hunger and drive sustainable economic transformation in Africa.
Delivering a presentation titled “Feeding the Future: Leveraging Humanitarian Leadership to Achieve Food Security and Economic Transformation in Africa,” Dr. Buhari-Ado commended Governor Uba Sani for his visionary leadership and steadfast support for the Kaduna State School Feeding Programme.
She described the initiative as a flagship social investment that not only nourishes children but also revitalizes the local economy.
> “Governor Uba Sani’s confidence in my capacity to serve has made it possible to impact the lives of children across Kaduna State,” she said. “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.”
Dr. Buhari-Ado noted that the programme goes beyond providing meals to children, adding that it embodies a deeper commitment to equity and opportunity.
> “Each meal we provide is not just food; it is a bridge to learning, a shield against poverty, and a promise that we care for these children and believe in their future. Feeding our children is not charity — it is nation-building,” she declared.
She further stressed that achieving food security must be regarded as a central pillar of Africa’s economic and social progress, warning that no continent can thrive when its people are hungry.
> “Ending hunger is the foundation of stability, productivity, and peace. We must see food security as a strategic investment, not just a humanitarian necessity,” she added.
Dr. Buhari-Ado also paid tribute to notable African women who have contributed to humanitarian advancement and leadership development. She commended Dr. Martina Nentawe Yilwatda, Patron of the Women’s Leadership Network, for her guidance and foresight, and Mrs. Deborah Hornecker, the Network’s founder, for her resilience and dedication to women’s empowerment.
> “The Women’s Leadership Network serves as a powerful platform for collaboration and transformation,” she said. “It unites professional women from diverse sectors to drive inclusion, social impact, and leadership growth across Africa.”
In her closing remarks, she urged African governments, civil society, private organizations, and development partners to join forces in eradicating hunger.
> “When no African child goes to bed hungry, we will know that we have truly fed the future — not through power, but through compassion and collective action,” she concluded.
According to official data, the Kaduna State School Feeding Programme is funded with over ₦4 billion annually, feeding more than 730,000 pupils daily across 3,400 public primary schools. The initiative also employs over 7,000 women as cooks and engages thousands of local farmers as food suppliers.
The programme aims to enhance school enrollment, improve child nutrition, and stimulate rural economic growth.
At the national level, President Bola Tinubu recently reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to tackling child malnutrition and promoting school enrollment 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 President Tinubu at the project’s official launch in Lagos on October 3, 2025, said the initiative aligns with the **Renewed Hope Agenda** by addressing food insecurity, poverty, and educational disparities.
