A cooking workshop for migrant women in Italy's Umbrian region is bringing people in the local community together.
Pasta and pizza have become tools for knowledge and integration between migrant women and the local community in the Umbrian town of Foligno thanks to a cooking course organized by Cidis Onlus and the Banca del Tempo.
Local volunteers have been sharing recipes for pasta dishes and sauces with 10 young women aged 18-35 from Gambia and Nigeria.
Cultural exchange
"We realized that when people were chosing someone to care for their elderly family members, they expected the carers to be able to cook Italian dishes," said Chiara Cantoni of Cidis Onlus. "We decided to develop this project by putting food at the center, but with a cultural impact," added colleague Alessandro Broccatelli.
The keywords of the initiative are time and exchange. The course not only allows the participants to bridge any skills gap, but also creates an opportunity for sharing "knowledge and experience." This can also be useful for finding work.
Useful cooking skills
In the program, the young women learn how to roll out pasta dough and make pizza, before sitting down together to share the results of their efforts. Eating together has promoted a sense of community, but also confidence in their practical skills and learning ability. The next step will be for these migrnats to share traditional recipes from their countries of origin with the volunteers.