By Bashir Hassan Abubakar
The Bauchi State First Lady, Hajiya Aisha Bala Mohammed, has celebrated women serving as Community Reorientation Women Network (CRoWN) Ambassadors for their outstanding contributions to improving maternal and child health, nutrition, and community development across selected Local Government Areas of the state.
The CRoWN initiative, implemented by the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) in partnership with the Solina Centre for International Development and Research (SCIDaR) and the Bauchi State Government, has trained and empowered women volunteers to serve as trusted community ambassadors, promoting access to essential health and social services.
The CRoWN Ambassadors were formally presented to the First Lady and other stakeholders during the 2026 CRoWN Annual State Convening Meeting held at the Government House, Bauchi.
Addressing the gathering, Hajiya Aisha Bala Mohammed commended the ambassadors for their commitment to improving the health, wellbeing and economic status of rural communities.
She noted that the volunteers play a critical role in promoting antenatal care, skilled birth attendance, routine immunization, child nutrition and healthy living.
“Your dedication demonstrates the power of women-led community action in improving maternal and child health and raising living standards through skills acquisition across Bauchi State,” she said.
The First Lady encouraged the ambassadors to remain committed to serving as agents of positive change by promoting healthy behaviours and linking families to essential health services.
Speaking virtually, the Chief Executive Officer of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, Dr. Zuwaira Yousuf, described CRoWN as a women-led, community-owned and self-sustaining grassroots network that empowers trusted local women to improve access to healthcare, nutrition, education, economic opportunities and other essential social services while building stronger and more resilient communities.
Also speaking, SOLINA CRoWN Programme Director, Dr. Raihanah Ibrahim, said Bauchi was the birthplace of the CRoWN initiative, noting that the state now has 622 CRoWN Ambassadors serving 211 communities.
She disclosed that the initiative has expanded to more than 7,900 ambassadors, reaching over 900,000 households across 10 states in Northern Nigeria, as well as border communities in Niger and Chad.
In their separate remarks, the Bauchi State Commissioner for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Sani Mohammed Dambam, and the Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Board, Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed, commended the Aliko Dangote Foundation and SCIDaR for their sustained support to the state’s health sector. They assured the partners that Bauchi State would continue to value and sustain the collaboration.
Goodwill messages were delivered by representatives of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), the World Health Organization (WHO), traditional institutions and other development partners.
The event featured the official branding of CRoWN Ambassadors by the First Lady and a tour of an economic empowerment exhibition showcasing products and businesses established by the ambassadors. The meeting also reaffirmed the commitment of government and development partners to strengthen and expand the CRoWN initiative across Bauchi State.
Our Correspondent reports that the central message of the convening meeting was that “The Power to Transform Communities Is Rooted Within Communities,” underscoring the belief that empowering trusted local women is key to improving access to essential services and achieving sustainable community development.
