The Bayero University, Kano Staff Wives Association (BUKSWA) has unveiled a new strategic direction aimed at improving the livelihoods of its members through a partnership with the Women Farmers Advancement Network (WOFAN).
The partnership initiative was discussed during a strategic meeting held on Monday, 3 August 2026, at the WOFAN Secretariat, where members of the association met with WOFAN's Founder and Global Advocate, Hajiya Dr. Salamatu Garba, to explore areas of collaboration under the second component of the Skills Improvement to Boost Livelihood and Nurture Growth (SIBLING) Project currently ongoing with Bayero Un8versity,.
Speaking on behalf of the Chairperson of the association, the Secretary, Hajiya Halima Sadiya Mahmoud, said BUKSWA was revived in 2024 after years of inactivity through the support of the immediate past Vice-Chancellor of Bayero University, Professor Sagir Adamu Abbas, and the commitment of his wife, Hajiya Binta Saji, who played a leading role in repositioning the association.
She explained that the association's renewed leadership identified several socio-economic challenges affecting members, including unemployment, widowhood and financial hardship among the wives of serving and retired staff. These findings informed the association's decision to seek strategic partnerships that would create sustainable livelihood opportunities through agriculture and entrepreneurship.
According to her, BUKSWA has prioritised organizational growth and leadership direction to boost economic sources of its members through agricultural produce processing and other agribusiness ventures as key areas for empowerment. She commended WOFAN for inviting the association to develop a comprehensive concept note that would serve as the framework for the proposed collaboration.
The Assistant Chairperson of the association, Hajiya Binta Saji, noted that BUKSWA comprises employed women, unemployed wives of staff and vulnerable members whose spouses are retired or deceased. She said the proposed partnership would provide targeted interventions that respond to the specific needs of each category.
Members also reflected on lessons from the association's previous operations, identifying weak accountability, poor communication, ineffective leadership coordination and limited support for members' businesses as challenges that the revived association is determined to address.
Responding, Dr. Salamatu Garba said WOFAN was committed to building partnerships capable of delivering measurable and sustainable impact. She explained that the meeting provided an opportunity to reflect together and understand the association's vision, membership structure and priority areas before the commencement of any intervention.
She advised the association to strengthen its organisational structure across Bayero University campuses, maintain an accurate membership database and classify members according to their preferred agricultural value chains, including poultry, fisheries and crop processing. She also encouraged wider sensitisation to ensure broad participation when the programme begins.
The meeting ended with resolutions for the association to complete its restructuring process, prepare a detailed concept note and identify viable agricultural value chains ahead of the formal rollout of the partnership. WOFAN expressed optimism that implementation of the new intervention could commence before the end of August 2026.
Earlier, WOFAN Communication facilitator , Hajiya Nafisa Ahmad Murtala, welcomed participants and explained that the initiative with BUKWAS is a separate component of the SIBLING Project of the CDA- BUK launched in July 2026 which is a research and student focused programme currently being implemented in collaboration with Bayero University while the Women- led BUKWAS version is addressing more on addressing socio- economic needs of the members and boost their group cohesion and luvelihood improvement