Kano State’s history is filled with stories of strong women—resilient figures such as Hajiya Gambo Sawaba, the fearless rights activist who stood for justice even when it cost her her freedom, and Nana Asma’u, daughter of Usman dan Fodio, whose influence spread across the region through her poetry and commitment to education. These are women who shaped not only the identity of Kano, but the destiny of the entire nation.
I was fortunate—I dare say divinely privileged—to meet a woman of such calibre not in the pages of history, but right here in present-day Bunkure, a small town in Bunkure LGA of Kano State.
That woman is Talatu Idris.
Talatu Idris lives in the town of Bunkure, Kano State, where she manages the Farmers’ Hub. She is a mother, a farmer, a teacher and a widow. With the support of the Foundation for Sustainable Smallholder Solutions, and by the grace of God (as she fondly says), she has become a builder of dreams.
She grows tomatoes, cucumber and cabbage, and, with the Foundation’s help, now manages a greenhouse which has become more than just a farm. It is a place of opportunity for women and children in her community.
She thanks God every day because farmers, not only in Kano but also in Katsina, Sokoto, Jigawa and Kaduna, now source seeds and farm inputs from her.
Her journey has not been easy. After losing her husband and first son, life could have overwhelmed her. Her other children at the time had just finished secondary school. The burden was heavy. But she chose to persevere. She chose to succeed. And the Foundation gave her the tools to do so.
With the support she has received, she has been able to send her children to higher institutions. They are no longer idle, earning a living for themselves.
At the hub, she and her team do more than sell seeds. They provide training to both men and women on dry season farming, fertiliser application and modern agricultural techniques that allow them to farm more effectively. Fertilisers, chemicals and seeds are sold at affordable prices, and where needed, made available on credit.
Even with a small plot of land, she says the quality seeds provided yield a bumper harvest for the farmers, claiming that is how people have improved their incomes. For her, this has been an eye-opener.
Farmers who visit the hub regularly she estimates, are more than 50,000 of them so far. The impact is widespread. Children who once hawked in the streets now attend school. Talatu and her group pay school fees for orphans, support widows, and cover medical and household bills for those in need.
Through the Foundation’s network a solar-powered irrigation system was installed for her to support her work. This well now serves the community. People, cattle and even wild animals drink from it when the river runs dry. That is how far she has come.
“We even bought solar to power our work, and a well that serves the whole community—people, cattle, even wildlife when the river runs dry. That’s how far we’ve come.”
She has not done it alone. The Foundation connected her with seed companies, brought in agricultural experts for advanced training, and helped her access inputs that enable her to support fellow farmers. Their support has been transformative, offering not charity but empowerment.
She often says:
“I cannot thank the Foundation enough. They did not just give us fish; they taught us how to build a fishing industry in our own backyard.”
Talatu also runs a support group for widows and vulnerable individuals. They provide financial assistance, help with hospital visits and transport to the mosque, and pay school fees. She does all this because she has been given the resources—and more importantly, the belief—that she can.
“We’re many—widows, women, farmers—and we are all grateful. We are sending our greetings to the Foundation. Their impact is real. Their teachings are working.”
Talatu often reflects on what life might have been like had she let grief define her. Instead, she found strength—her own—and the means to build something that is changing thousands of lives.
In a quiet corner of Kano, this strong woman found her wings. Now, she is helping others learn to fly.