Nutrition and Garden Training - Part 4

GAMES TIME!!

To reinforce the training ... we played interactive games with the ladies throughout the two day training period!

"come on down to the 'usefulness' is right!!"

Game 1:

The first day ... we placed down four mats.  One mat contained a variety of food that we had purchased in the market.  

There were three empty mats - save for their "memory tool":

• mortar and pestle ... "untired body"
• field hoe ... strength
• medicine boxes ... health

The ladies then needed to - one by one - pick up a food item from the first mat and place it onto a mat with a memory tool ... matching the food item to its usefulness!

Game 2:

The next day, we switched it up and started the morning with another game for review.  Again, we place all the food on one mat - and then divided the ladies into groups on the three mats of food "usefulness".  They each had a platter and needed to go to the mat of food and choose the items which they thought matched their usefulness and return to their mats!  We then discussed their choices.

"come on down to the price is right!!"

Game 3:

To finish off the training ... we played "the price is right"!!  Megan and I spread the food out on one met again.  We split the ladies into groups - and then welcomed them to "our market".  As the price of food changes throughout the year and by season ... each group of ladies was given money based on what they had said they spend in each season.  Their goal was to use that money to purchase food for the week - keeping in mind the diet diversity needed for their families.  

Those who were buying food in the cold season did not buy starch staples - as they had food in their granary and could spend their funds on vegetables.  While those who were buying food in the rainy season had to purchase their starch staples as their granary was now empty - and they had less money to spend as prices in the market tend to increase and/or sky-rocket during the lean season!

Part of the training was to know and assess the market pricing ... to know that the price of food increases in the rainy season when they no longer have their millet ... is to perhaps plan their food accordingly.  We discussed how they could leave their harvest to eat until the rainy season - so that when the food is more expensive, they do not need to purchase their staple and only the sauce ingredients.  Also during this season, they have less income as their cows are not producing milk.  This would mean that they purchase their millet or corn immediately following the harvest, even though they have food in their granary, as the cost of millet and sauce ingredients is at its lowest point!  Their money will stretch further when the prices are low and leave them less to buy when eating from their granary when the price is high!