The Special Assistant to the Kaduna State Governor on School Feeding Programme, Dr. Fauziya Buhari-Ado, has highlighted the ongoing impact of the state’s school feeding initiative, describing it as a major source of empowerment for women engaged as cooks and a boost for local farmers.
She made this known while receiving the 2025 4th Humanitarian Bootcamp Award in Nairobi, Kenya. In a statement she personally signed and released on Friday, the 10th of October, 2025, Dr. Buhari-Ado emphasized the need for stronger humanitarian leadership and effective partnerships to combat hunger and drive sustainable economic progress across Africa.
Delivering a presentation titled “Feeding the Future: Leveraging Humanitarian Leadership to Achieve Food Security and Economic Transformation in Africa,” Dr. Buhari-Ado expressed deep appreciation to Governor Uba Sani for his vision and support in sustaining the Kaduna State School Feeding Programme, a key social intervention that provides daily meals to thousands of pupils 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 programme as an integrated initiative that touches several aspects of the economy, stressing that every meal served reflects care, opportunity, and hope for the future.
“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 said. “Feeding our children is not charity, it is nation-building.”
Dr. Buhari-Ado urged African governments to treat food security as a core strategy for social and economic stability, noting that eliminating hunger is key to fostering peace and productivity on the continent.
She also recognized women leaders who have contributed significantly to humanitarian and leadership development efforts. She praised Dr. Martina Nentawe Yilwatda, Patron of the Women’s Leadership Network, for her mentorship, and Mrs. Deborah Hornecker, the Network’s founder, for her dedication 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.”
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Closing her remarks, Dr. Buhari-Ado called for joint action among governments, civil society groups, development partners, and private organizations to eradicate 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.
According to state government data, the Kaduna School Feeding Programme is funded annually with over N4 billion. It currently provides meals for more than 730,000 pupils, with about 7,000 cooks employed across 3,400 schools. The scheme is designed to improve nutrition, enhance school enrollment, and support local food production.
In a related development, President Bola Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to tackling child malnutrition and promoting school enrollment through the Renewed Hope Mo’Feed Project. The initiative, launched on the 3rd of October, 2025, aims to reach over 600,000 vulnerable Nigerians across the six geopolitical zones.
Speaking at the official launch in Lagos, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on School Feeding, Dr. Yetunde Adeniji, said the programme aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda by addressing food insecurity, poverty, and educational challenges.