Teaching in school gardens in Uganda

Hello again!  My name is Julie Diaz and I am still passionate about fresh, healthy food!  I love food so much that I teach kids and adults how to prepare simple real food in fun and delicious ways.  I also love the connection that food brings to the table.  The connection of cooking together, eating together, the connection to the food and the farmers that grew and harvested it creates a bond that can heal the world.  

In September with the support of some generous donors, I was able to attend Slow Food International's Terra Madre Salone del Gusto 2018 in Torino, Italy where over 6000 delegates from around the world converged for 5 days of learning and sharing about good, clean, fair food.  The most amazing part of the event was meeting the delegates and hearing about Slow Food's impact all around the world.  I met delegates from South America, Australia, Nepal, Japan, Africa, and so many other countries in Europe and Asia.  Many of us shared contact information and issued invitations to visit our respective countries.  

On my last night there while we were waiting to take buses back to our hotels, a group of us were talking about our roles in the food movement.  I mentioned that I was a cooking teacher and that I mostly teach school children about eating fresh vegetables.  One young man, Bakashaba, walked around to my side and waited for a break in the conversation.  He told me that he was from Uganda and that he runs a non-profit called RUDEFO (Rural Development Foundation) that has school and community gardens.   He then invited me to go to Uganda to teach the school children in his community about how to cook and eat vegetables.  We exchanged contact information and chatted a little until time to get on our respective buses.

Then in November 2018, I received an email from Bakashaba with an official invitation to visit.  WOW!  Visiting Africa was something that I wanted to do, in fact before going to Italy I had commented that I hope to one day visit Africa.  It seemed that one day would be sooner than I expected!  After many emails back and forth, the plan was formed.  Once I get to Uganda, I will be provided with transportation, accommodations, and food.  I will have to provide my airfare, Visa, vaccinations, and any other supplies I need (clothing and shoes for rural rainy equatorial Africa).  Flights are long, more than 24 hours travel time, with 2-3 layovers each way, so will need to purchase food in airports on occasion.  My plan is to go for 3 weeks from the end of March into April 2019.   My husband, Camilo, will also go with me to assist with cooking classes. (And to visit Uganda, too!!)

Here is some information about RUDEFO, the program that I will be working with while in Uganda.

Agriculture remains the backbone of Uganda’s economy and a viable solution to tackling the upsetting food insecurity and malnutrition among Ugandans. Increased food production and access are crucial to achieving major nutritional improvement at household and community levels. Therefore, more foods should be produced that are rich in all the essential micronutrients, available in sufficient quantities and accessible to people all year round. Traditional foods, on the other hand, have numerous advantages especially in terms of household food security, as they are particularly important in the coping strategies and consumption patterns of poor people. They provide a varied diet, often rich in minerals and vitamins including vitamin A, iron and calcium. In addition, traditional foods have economic benefits and are convenient and delicious with special cultural attachments.

The project will have women and children (in schools) and out of school as its main target groups. Specifically, the project will directly reach 400 children and 50 women living in rural communities in Mbarara district. Children and women are the social groups most vulnerable to food insecurity and malnutrition. Additionally, women play a central role in home and community gardens and often have good knowledge of indigenous foods; they know how to prepare them and how to preserve both seeds and produce. It is also vital that children be targeted if such agricultural knowledge is to be sustained for generations.

The project will be implemented in Mbarara district both in rural and urban communities. In urban areas, there is a noticeable reduction in the production of local foods resulting in the over-reliance on expensive and often unhealthy fast foods. This calls for the promotion of good, clean and fair food.

Using the project team will conduct taste education sessions for women groups and children in schools; educating them on discovering new foods, as well as training their senses to recognize quality food.

Tasting events will be organized for school children and women groups including cooking varieties of foods and tasting them. The tasting events will be an opportunity to enhance traditional/cultural food awareness, nutritional/ healthy eating awareness, as well as cooking skills. The events will, in a special way, help in educating children early in their life about the origins of food, and practical cooking will help children to have more attachment to the meal process and this may help them to eat healthier.

So here is how you can help me reach my financial goal.

Airfare (roundtrip for 2) - $2500   purchase by Feb. 22
Visas -$100
Vaccinations/medication for yellow fever and malaria - $400
Shoes and clothing for our trip - $1000
Food during travel  - $500
Emergency fund - $700
Money to donate to RUDEFO - $800
Trip planned for March 27-April 17 (dates subject to change)
 
This is such an amazing opportunity to travel to Africa to do what I love - teaching children about eating fresh healthy vegetables.  I know that this is going to be a life-changing experience.  I am so grateful to all of you for reading this and for making a contribution (any amount will help me reach my goal). 

Thank you SO MUCH!!