#amelsusankids

By Akan Peter Nsek

There’s something wonderful—almost magical—about watching children interact with food. They’re curious, messy, fearless. Give a child a bowl of flour and a spoon, and they’ll likely create something wild, maybe even edible. And in that moment, they’re not just playing—they’re learning, experimenting, expressing themselves.

That’s exactly why we organized a baking event for Children’s Day this year at Amel International Services Limited, here in Nigeria. It wasn’t elaborate. It wasn’t corporate. It was just kids, flour, cocoa, custard, and a whole lot of laughter.

What began as a modest idea turned into one of the most heartwarming days we’ve had in a long time.

Why a Baking Event?

Well, why not?

At Amel International Services Limited, our Amel Susan products are made for families. That includes children. But often, kids are left out of the conversation around food—not just eating it, but making it.

So we thought: let’s invite them into the kitchen. Let them measure, stir, sprinkle, pour. Let them be part of the process, not just the end result.

Baking, after all, teaches more than cooking. It teaches patience, teamwork, sensory awareness. Plus, it’s just plain fun.

The Setup

We kept it simple.

The kids were split into small groups and given aprons, mixing bowls, and ingredients. We used a mix of Amel Susan products—banana and vanilla custard, cocoa powder, corn flour, baking soda, and of course, honey for the finishing touch.

The day’s mission? Bake cocoa cupcakes, make no-cook custard parfaits, and decorate corn flour cookies. Ambitious? Maybe. But we believed in them.

With gentle guidance from our in-house team (and a few parents), they got right to it. Some poured too much water. Others forgot the sugar. One boy added cocoa powder twice—but his batch turned out surprisingly delicious.

What We Saw

We saw confidence. Determination. Joy.

One girl, maybe 9 years old, declared, “I’m going to open my own bakery—after school, though.” Another proudly held up a very wobbly custard parfait and said, “This is for my grandma.”

There was cocoa on cheeks, flour in the air, and a few icing-covered shirts. But also pride. The kind that says, I made this. I did it myself.

We encouraged mistakes. Laughed with them, not at them. The end products? Honestly? Not perfect. But perfect enough.

What It Meant to Us

For our team at Amel International Services Limited, this wasn’t just a photo op. It reminded us of why we started in 2014—to make products that fit into real lives. That nourish, support, and bring people together.

Watching children confidently use our ingredients—the same ones their parents trust—was one of the most honest validations of our work.

Perhaps this is part of why we were nominated for the 2025 Go Global Awards, hosted by the International Trade Council in London this November. That recognition isn’t just about exports or packaging lines. It’s about values. Impact. The willingness to do things that don’t always scale, but still matter.

Being part of a global dialogue—where businesses gather not just to celebrate, but to collaborate and envision a better future—feels right. And we’re proud to represent Nigeria in that space.

What’s Next?

We’re planning more events. Maybe smaller workshops in schools. Maybe baking kits kids can use at home. The goal is simple: keep the joy going. Keep the learning going.

Because children don’t forget these moments. And neither do we.

Final Thought

Children’s Day reminded us that baking is more than a task—it’s an invitation. To imagine. To connect. To create something (and then eat it, of course).