As part of the Girls’ Project work, each spring we organize a session on eating and cooking healthy, local foods. This session includes preparation of a group meal with the girls. But the session is not only about food – cooking and eating together gives us a great, informal way to talk and share. While we wait for the meal to cook, we share stories around the table. Each girl tells a story that marked her, and shares her dreams and her goals. This is a very important activity that allows girls to confide and share their experiences.
Learning Vs. Eating: A Real Dilemma for Students & Families
It usually rains more often from July through August in Mali, which is summer vacation for students. During this time, many parents rely on their children when it comes to working in millet, corn, peanut fields. This leads to a real dilemma when school reopens — do students stay in the fields or return to class?
Lunchtime in a Mali School
Mali is a country that prioritizes education, despite the many challenges we face with poverty, unrest, and of course the pandemic. One of the biggest challenges for the authorities (and for Mali Rising!) is keeping kids in school until they graduate from middle school. With multiple gold mining areas calling to kids with get-rich-quick dreams, the rural exodus of kids to work and get money, and the long distances walking or biking to get to school every day, many children drop out before they graduate. With the aim of helping stop drop outs, the Mali government has been thinking about many strategies like school lunch program, parent’s involvement, etc. In previous years, many of those strategies did not work very well. However, two years ago, we started noticing a strategy that seemed promising. The government was creating school lunch programs in some rural schools.
Our Gratitude to Cultures Capsules
We just love it when our work helps us connect with other people doing great things in the world. This was certainly the case when we met the good people behind Cultures Capsules.
One who eats alone....
“One who eats alone cannot discuss the taste of the food with others” — African proverb. Let us save you from that fate for at least one night in September! Join us for Mali Rising’s annual Soiree on September 26th at Red Butte Garden in Salt Lake City, and you’ll enjoy an amazing West African-inspired dinner. See what’s on the menu…
The Way To Our Hearts? A Recipe From Mali
Note: One of the best parts of getting to know another culture is getting to know its food! Hindaty, our wonderful Girls Project Coordinator, shares her one of her favorite Mali recipes for your consideration. This month, I will share with you the recipes of one of my favorite dishes, called "yassa.” Yassa is a dish from West Africa that is prepared with onion. As in Mali we have large families, I will show you the recipe for yassa for 10 people
Food & Fun With the Girls Project
As part of keeping girls in school, Mali Rising’s Girls Project initiated a new activity that will allow girls to have not only theoretical knowledge but also practical knowledge. This month, our session with the girls focused on "good nutrition.” The purpose of this activity is to teach girls the different nutritious foods, the composition of a balanced breakfast, the importance of breakfast especially for teenagers, how to eat well. The aim is to give girls the love of school through the preparation of new dishes with local products. Our dish of the day was bean dumplings and vegetable salads.
If The Way To Your Heart Is Through Your Stomach...
If the way to your heart is through your stomach, you will soon be in love with Mali Rising. Or at least you will be if you get your tickets to the 2017 Soiree. I'm just back from an amazing taste testing with the great folks at LUX Catering & Events. LUX is a Gold Sponsor of our upcoming Soiree celebration, and they have pulled out all the stops on a menu you're going to love.
A Little Friday Fun With Food
I do love food, and I love cooking, and I really love dinner parties. So a few years back when I started this job one of the first things I did was invite a big group of friends over for a Mali feast. In this blog post, I'll share my recipes, but also some great food resources from around the web...
