Nutrition Workshop

With the opening of our Children's Kitchen at Motupe, we are working more closely in hand with the local Health Clinic. Recently the Health Clinic, led by Senora Karina, ran a Workshop aimed at educating volunteers working in our Kitchens on how to prepare a balanced and nutritious meal for our children. The afternoon proved a great success.

Earlier blogspots can be accessed below:

www.lamesacompartida.blogspot.com

www.lamesacompartida2.blogspot.com

www.lamesacompartida3.blogspot.com

www.lamesacompartida4.blogspot.com

www.lamesacompartida5.blogspot.com
www.cangallovegies.blogspot.com

Welcome to the "Balanced Nutrition Workshop".

Participants prepare healthy and nutritious dishes.

Karina from the local clinic, the supervisor of the Workshop.

Nuevo Amanecer

The Kitchen of Nuevo Amanacer is not an official part of The Shared Table project as it will receive limited funds through government aid, and no ongoing assitance from the Shared Table for the time being.

However, through the recent generosity of the Parish of St. Patrick's Camperdown and St. Thomas' School Terang, Australia, we were able to assist them with the construction of a simple building which will serve as their Kitchen, without which they were unable to seek government aid. If this aid does not eventuate or fails to continue, we will incorporate the Kitchen into The Shared Table project.

Leopoldo Cazimiro battles with an addiction to alcohol, but he is a great character and has an enormous concern for his little community of Nuevo Amanecer. It was Leopoldo who first approached me to come and visit their settlement, and to perhaps offer them some assistance.

Families gather at a typical "asemblea general" (general community assembly) to discuss community needs, and to deligate responsibilies. At this assembly we made the decision to give assistance to the Children's Kitchen by way of providing the materials. The community would look after construction and later, the running of the Kitchen.

A view across some of the barren landscape of Nuevo Amanecer.

The original Kitchen of Nuevo Amanecer. Three square meters made of panels of cheap wooden slats, and with a dirt floor. Most of the cooking was done outside, using sawdust as fuel.

Last minute removal of rocks for the assembling of the pre fab wooden building which will serve as the Children's Kitchen. This will be by far the most elegant building in the settlement.

The pre fab building nears completion. The women do their fair share of overseeing!

Some interested onlookers who will benefit from this project.

The new Children's Kitchen of Nuevo Amanecer stands ready to be opened, complete with bottle of champagne overhanging the door, the smashing of which is always customery for the opening of any building in Peru. This may be a simple building by some standards, but here the locals do things accordning to the proper manner.

Peeling hot potatoes for the little celebration after our official opening.

Abuelita Matilde (Granny Matilde), who comes from the District of Ayacucho, wishes to help the mothers of the children who will be fed from this kitchen. She is the oldest resident by far in this community of very young families.

The local Community Council say a few words to officially open their simple little kitchen.

Jon Junior (that's his actual name) samples the special dish prepared for today: Deep fried chicken on a salad known as "Papa a la Huancaina". Only the "Officials" present got the chicken!

Opening of the Children's Kitchen of Motupe

On the 30th of April 2007, we officially inaugurated the latest of our Kitchens, thanks once again to the tremedous support of our benefactors of The Shared Table. This is the fifth of our kitchens in operation as part of the Parish network of kitchens which function through the direct support of the project.

The Motupe Kitchen, like that of Montenegro which opened last year, is at the service of children suffering malnutrition. It is situated right next to the Health Clinic of Motupe from which children are referred. The number of children enlisted initially was 25, but the number is steadily growing and will continue, as this Kitchen is situated in the heart of our most populated section of the Parish.

The building was constructed with the assistance of the Columban Mission Society, to whom we are very grateful.

Rosaura (foreground) the co ordinator of the Motupe Kitchen, leads her Team in the preparation of food for the Opening Ceremony of this, our latest Kitchen.

Nothing gets wasted. This will become the basis for a fish soup. Very nutritious.

Fish heads and the rest boil away.

With volunteers preparing food for the opening.

Official opening of the Children's Kitchen of Motupe 30th of April 2007.

Enjoying the celebrations.

Enjoying lunch

Liliana enjoys the dish of the day: fish cooked in a stew of potatoes and vegetables with rice.

Sampling the wares - the food is highly recommended.
Thank you once again to all our friends of The Shared Table.

Opening of the Children's Kitchen of El Trebol

Sunday morning, 15th of April 2007. Last minute work being done on the stairway up to the Children's Kitchen at El Trebol in the Valley of Jicamarca. Development on the road in front had left a very steep approach to our multi pupose building, but with some picks and shovels and some flat rocks, the stairway was completed within a couple of hours as our official opening got underway.

The mothers and children who will participate in the Kitchen process from the multi purpose building, which serves both as a chapel and meeting space and will also serve as the place where the children will eat, out to the simple cooking kitchen that was constructed by the women themselves on the official Peruvian "Women's Day" in March.

Lucy, the Parish Social Worker, reads out a prayer of dedication in front of the simple building that will provide space for the actual cooking of food. The bottle of champagne hangs by the door waiting to be smashed to signal the official opening - not an expensive bottle!

We were accompanied by some Irish visitors who have been supporters of the Parish here, and who were invited by the locals to do the honours of the unveiling of the plaque. Jennifer, one of the children who will benefit from the kitchen and her friend get a close look.

With the help of Margaret and Briga, we officially unveil the plaque to a round of cheers and applause.

The Children´s Kitchen "Señor de Huanca" of the Human Settlement of The Valley of Jicamarca - Peru, thank our brothers and sisters of Australia for their valuable assistance: April 2007. So reads the simple plaque on the door of the Kitchen at El Trebol, and on Monday the 16th of April, this our sixth kitchen was open for providing a meal a day for 35 children.

For more information on The Shared Table contact Fr. Michael McKinnon:

mickmckinnon@yahoo.com