Honoring a Legacy of Impact: H.E. Demeke Mekonnen Recognized as Nutrition Champion at 20th FoNSE Conference

 

 

 

At the 20th Anniversary and Annual Conference of the Food and Nutrition Society of Ethiopia (FoNSE), H.E. Demeke Mekonnen, Founder and Board Chairman of YADAM Foundation, was officially honored as a Nutrition Champion for his enduring leadership and commitment to advancing Ethiopia’s nutrition and public health agenda.

 

Commemorating the theme “Strengthening System Capacities to Advance High-Impact Food and Nutrition Outcomes in Ethiopia,” FoNSE leadership celebrated H.E. Demeke Mekonnen as the “founding father” of the historic Seqota Declaration.

The recognition honors his sustained political resolve, dedication to multisectoral accountability, and continued post-government leadership through the YADAM Foundation.

 

Guided by an evidence-based approach focused on the critical first 1,000 days of life, YADAM bridges the gap between community-level realities and high-level policy action.

 

Accepting the award, H.E. Demeke Mekonnen reaffirmed that proper nutrition is the vital cornerstone of human capital and economic resilience:

“Nutrition is the essential foundation for our nation’s human potential. Through YADAM Foundation, we will continue expanding multi-stakeholder partnerships across government, academia, civil society, and international partners to ensure every child has the nutritional foundation needed to thrive.”