Cooking in Kibera

The Cookbook Project was thrilled to have been invited to facilitate cooking and nutrition workshops during Litworld’s first ever LitCamp in conjunction with Children of Kibera. Kibera is the second largest slum in Africa, second only to Soweto. Home to an estimated one million people, 4 of 5 of whom are formally unemployed. Many internally displaced people end up making their way to Kibera due to political unrest, tribal fighting, or the hope of better opportunity in Nairobi. Children of Kibera serves at-risk youth, offering them the chance to grow, learn, and use education as a path for hope and success by providing high quality education and enrichment programs and scholarships for secondary school.

The LitCamp brought together about 150 children ages 4-14. The Cookbook Project helped to run community building games, nutrition-oriented activities, and our signature healthy snacks workshop, complete with freshly popped popcorn and SO MUCH sliced watermelon, native to Africa!

LOCAL LEADERS TRAINING

Once the LitCamp was over, CBP stayed on to conduct a Local Leaders Training for Children of Kibera staff and the Red Rose School teachers in Kibera. The Training reached 22 local educators and culminated in a group feast of Brown (traditional) Ugali with Sukumawiki and Omena. Children of Kibera staff who were in charge of LitClub groups for the older girls also worked with CBP to prepare LitClub Food Culture Meals featuring local favorites and Swahili influenced specialties.

POWER WOMEN

While in Kibera CBP also had the opportunity to Train a number of the Power Women, a group of mothers ‘living positive’ with HIV/AIDs. The Power Women run a craft shop as a cooperative way to fund medical costs, but many of them have become community advocates of traditional diets for strengthening immunity. While many folks moving to the city often abandon their traditional village diet, the Power Women have returned back to the foods of their native places as a way to boost their immune systems and live longer. These women are amazing advocates for nutrition, not just for people living with HIV/AIDs and are excited to lead CBP activities in their community!