The Special Assistant to the Kaduna State Governor on School Feeding Programme, Dr. Fauziya Buhari-Ado, has urged African leaders to embrace humanitarian leadership and forge stronger partnerships to tackle hunger and drive sustainable economic growth across the continent.
Speaking in Nairobi, Kenya, after receiving the 2025 4th Humanitarian Bootcamp Award, Dr. Buhari-Ado said true leadership must be rooted in empathy, compassion, and policies that uplift citizens.
In her presentation titled “Feeding the Future: Leveraging Humanitarian Leadership to Achieve Food Security and Economic Transformation in Africa,” she expressed gratitude to Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, for his trust and vision in promoting the Kaduna State School Feeding Programme — a flagship initiative 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 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.”
Dr. Buhari-Ado described the initiative as a comprehensive model that strengthens multiple sectors, saying each meal served represents “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,” she said. “Feeding our children is not charity — it is nation-building.”
She stressed that food security should be seen as a strategic cornerstone for Africa’s social and economic progress, adding that ending hunger is crucial to sustaining peace, productivity, and stability.
Dr. Buhari-Ado also paid tribute to African women leaders who have advanced humanitarian development, commending 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.”
In her closing remarks, she called for collective action among governments, civil society, development partners, and the private sector to eradicate hunger.
“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.
The AUTHORITY reports that Dr. Fauziya Buhari-Ado is a public policy advocate and humanitarian leader recognized for her work in education reform, women’s empowerment, and social development.
As Executive Chairperson of the Kaduna State School Feeding Programme, she has championed initiatives that improve child nutrition, enhance access to education, and promote community-based economic inclusion.
