Knowledge Hub
To some, breakfast is the most important meal of the day - while others don’t eat until lunch. Dinner time, however, is ubiquitously a time to come together with the family, offload your day and spend some quality time with each other.
But what do mealtimes look like around the world?
Cycles of displacement in the Central African Republic (CAR) have driven farmers from their land, leaving fields abandoned. When they return, many do not have seeds to plant, or are reluctant to plant crops without a stable future. As a result, crop production has dropped, food prices have increased, and many people are left without reliable access to food.
Concern’s food security programme aims to help 6,000 vulnerable people across 20 communities affected by the crisis in CAR to produce their own food, through seed and tool distribution and training in improved farming techniques, alongside support to access markets.
Mum-of-five Nadine Doko, pictured above with her 15-month-old daughter Bella, is a Concern-supported Mama Lumiere – or ‘lead mother’ in her community in the Central African Republic. She demonstrates to her neighbours how to prepare a nutritious meal, by cooking a dish consisting of onions, squash leaves, peanut paste and oil for her own daughter.
Below is seven-year-old Davilla, helping her aunty Claudia Batene prepare squash leaves for the family meal in the Central African Republic. The squash leaves are cultivated from seeds provided by Concern. The family also received groundnut, bean and sesame seeds, tools - including two machetes and a hoe - and farming skills.
Grandmother-of-three Naomi Wrobone is a member of Wrobone Town Mothers’ Group and savings and loan association. Her husband is the head of the community and the local school teacher. Concern has been working in Naomi's village – made up of 100 households – since early 2018. Naomi has become a proud grandmother for the third time after her daughter Diamond Wrobone gave birth to little Patience one month ago. Diamond is now back staying temporarily with her mum for support – and has been attending weekly Mothers’ Group gatherings.
The group provides an effective platform for exchanging advice on prenatal maternal health, exclusive breastfeeding, supplementary feeding and hygiene in the home. Cookery demonstrations show mums how to prepare nutritious meals and diversify diets with vegetables and locally available fruit, like papaya, banana and pineapple. The group also attempts to address ingrained gender inequalities.
Through the Wrobone Mothers' Group which is supported by Concern, Naomi has learned how to prepare nutritious meals and diversify diets using vegetables and locally available fruit.
Mum-of-six Mary Wrobone is a member of a 25-strong savings and loan association (CSLA) and Mothers’ Group in Wrobone Town.
Pictured is a Concern-supported Mothers’ Group learning session. Mary demonstrates how to cook a meal for a malnourished child between six and eight months old. She adds sesame paste, powered okra, dried fish, mashed banana, spices, oil and salt to a pot of porridge oats and water. Then, she cooks it over the heat for a few minutes and then lets it cool.
As a family, we eat twice a day - in the evening, when we prepare dumboy (pounded cassava) and rice, and in the morning. We also cultivate leafy vegetables, and peppers, okra and corn in the community.
Nayla* is pictured here preparing a meal of maize while her two sons, three-year-old Murad* and 10-month-old Jasim* wait. Although times are tough, she still finds reasons to smile. With treatment from Concern-supported Tchoukoutalia health clinic, her youngest son, Jasim is on his way to a healthy weight after four long months suffering from malnutrition.
*Names changed for security reasons.
Dukan* lives with her family in a Protection of Civilians camp (POC) in Juba, South Sudan. These camps were established to offer civilians protection and refuge when fleeing from conflict.
Dukan is cooking Walwal (its name in Nuer) which is a grain a bit like millet and is cooked with water. She tells us that this, along with Kisra (‘paper food’), is what they tend to eat. We are catching them for breakfast.
Typically the family eat two meals a day (breakfast and dinner), and for dinner, they eat something that is similar to Walwal but is not cooked in water – it is soaked instead – called Akof.
*Names changed for security reasons.
We were targeted by soldiers. That is why we escaped. We moved for five days before reaching a PoC. All our property, including our cattle, were taken. We left with nothing.
Idil* lives with her three children in a POC in Juba, South Sudan. The family have lived in the camp since 2015
Here there is no income. Idil is planning a business (she wants to buy cups and glasses to make tea for people) but doesn't have the money to start it up. Today she is cooking Kisro (paper food). Idil likes cooking but doesn’t have enough food, telling us, “how can I not feel hungry!” Idil and her children mainly live off contributions from their neighbours. This is how they survive.
*Names changed for security reasons.
Her youngest daughter, 1 year and 9-month-old Nyadiu* is being treated through a Concern-supported Outpatient Therapeutic Programme. She has been receiving treatment since she was 6 months old and is much healthier than she was before.
Cooking demonstrations help mothers understand which foods combine well to give a balanced nutrition intake for young children. Here is one run by Concern in Pugnido Refugee Camp in Gambella, Ethiopia.
For most of our more than 50 years in operation, we have been leading the way with sector-defining programmes that are changing people’s lives for the better. We work towards the survival and wellbeing of the world's most vulnerable communities while ensuring they obtain the knowledge and resources to keep themselves and their families healthy and nourished.
Give a one-off, or a monthly, donation today.
From mountain trekking to marathon running, join us for one of our many exciting outdoor events!
With an extensive range of alternative gifts, we have something to suit everybody.
Leave the world a better place with a life-changing legacy.
We partner with a range of organisations that share our passion and the results have been fantastic.
Raise money for Concern by organising your own charity fundraising event.
