The Special Assistant to the Kaduna State Governor on School Feeding Programme, Dr. Fauziya Buhari-Ado, has said that the initiative continues to empower women employed as cooks while also supporting local farmers through the supply of food materials.
She made this known while receiving the 2025 4th Humanitarian Bootcamp Award in Nairobi, Kenya, according to a statement she personally signed and released on Friday morning.
Dr. Buhari-Ado called for stronger humanitarian leadership and strategic partnerships to combat hunger and promote sustainable economic transformation across Africa.
In her presentation, titled “Feeding the Future: Leveraging Humanitarian Leadership to Achieve Food Security and Economic Transformation in Africa,” she expressed appreciation to Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State for his trust and vision in driving the Kaduna State School Feeding Programme, a flagship social intervention providing daily meals to thousands of schoolchildren.
“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.”
She described the initiative as a holistic approach that strengthens different sectors of the economy, noting that every meal provided goes beyond nourishment to symbolise hope 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,” she stated. “Feeding our children is not charity — it is nation-building.”
Dr. Buhari-Ado emphasised that food security should be considered a strategic pillar for Africa’s development, adding that eradicating hunger remains vital for ensuring peace, stability, and productivity across the continent.
She also paid tribute to women leaders advancing humanitarian efforts and leadership development in 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 contribution to women’s empowerment.
“The Women’s Leadership Network represents a powerful platform for collaboration and transformation,” Dr. Buhari-Ado noted. “It brings together professional women from diverse sectors to drive inclusion, social impact, and leadership development across communities.”
She further urged African governments, development partners, civil society organisations, and the private sector to collaborate in the fight against hunger, stressing the need for collective action to achieve food security and economic transformation.
“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 said.
According to data from the Kaduna State Government, the school feeding programme is funded annually with over N4 billion. It currently feeds more than 730,000 pupils and employs over 7,000 cooks across 3,400 public schools. The initiative aims to increase school enrollment, support local farmers, and improve the nutrition of pupils.
The programme is part of Kaduna State’s broader efforts to promote inclusive education and social welfare while reducing poverty through food production and women empowerment. The School Feeding Programme has become a major driver of local agricultural productivity and community development, boosting smallholder farmers’ income and strengthening rural economies.
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. The initiative is a school feeding and empowerment programme 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 at the official launch in Lagos, said the initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda by tackling food insecurity, poverty, and gaps in education.
She explained that the Renewed Hope Mo’Feed Project would complement state-level interventions like Kaduna’s School Feeding Programme, creating a stronger framework for nutrition support, local food production, and youth empowerment.