It's party time in Madagascar! Yesterday was the annual independance day, June 26. This day is a feast for everyone. But is it really? Many poor people have no means to celebrate. Street children are sent by their masters to beg, because a national day of celebration is also an excellent day for begging.
To avoid letting children go beg on the street, the center for street children I'm supporting had a great idea: organizing a Tsikony. This is a Malagasy tradition whereby children are cooking! But how to finance this? I sent an email to my generous friends here in Tana and raised a good sum of money and support. Thank you Amanda, Patricia, Anita, Nieves, Kyong, David, Pascale, Alain and Fedor!
It was a lovely event. All the food and cooking utensils bought by the center were displayed like a market. The children were getting 'monopoly money' worth 30,000 Ariary per group. They had to buy stuff and prepare the food, in the cutest little dishes, with mini spoons and minuature pots and pans, like in a giant doll house. We the guest, were 'selling' chicken, sausage, even shrimp, and veggies, rice, pasta, fruits, etc and giving points for cleanliness and cooking skills.
So we watched three-year olds cutting tomatoes, six-year olds sweeping the floor, toddlers fanning the charcoal cookers and all ages running back and forth to buy spoons full of cooking oil.
Honestely, got to give it to these kids...I don't see 'our' little ones preparing a whole mini-meal in one hour. Bravo!
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| What donatations bought - a true feast |
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| Three types of cooking gear |
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| The market is open, for the first group of children |
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| Monopoly money - give children some commerical sense |
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| Cute little dishes |
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| Yoghurt: 1 Ariary, Banana 2 Ariary |
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| The guests are 'selling' the stuff |
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| Carrots 10 Ariary per piece |
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| Buy mine! No mine! |
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| Here's your change |
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| The first sales are done |
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| Tables clothes and minipots are indispensible |
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| Wait for your change.... |
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| Hmmm, shall I buy chicken or shrimp? |
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| A luxury! Chicken for 10 Ariary |
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| Even dish liquid could be bought! |
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| Mr World Bank counting his money! |
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| Six year old boy cutting chicken |
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| What's on the menu girls? |
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| Boys job: lighting charcoal |
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| Peeling carots |
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| It's getting smokey in here! |
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| Fanning with a slipper |
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| Three year old cutting tomatoes like a chef! |
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| It is starting to smell so good! |
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| Never to young to fan up a fire |
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| Stir so it won't burn |
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| Another technique to light up charcoal |
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| Soleine is cooking too |
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| Alex and I celebrating this great event |
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| This is what's left at the end....nothing! |
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| Cleanliness is important! |
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| Bon appétit les enfants! |
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