An idea for your improvement...

[ebia]

It sounds like a idea that is not likely to work very well since it is about eating poor food for a day. People like to eat good food. Most people would rather just give some money and eat normal the same time.

Surely that's a good reason for challenging them. Ideally we would have everyone experience really living in poverty for a period, but lacking that any attempt to epathise with the issue instead of just getting off lighly by giving up some spare change is a good thing.

I have one had the privalege of spending a couple of days in the Kalash Valleys. They opened up the best hotel (which was generally shut because the tourists had dried up with the war in Afghanistan). And we were served up the best the place had to offer short of their celebratory food - one large dish of plain rice with a single carrot sliced up on the top - between 10 of us.

Experiences change the way we think, and we need to change the way we think to not only improve aid but change the systems.

 

[andy4848]

Sounds good - I can make websites, is there one for this already? cus i'd be happy to make one.

 

[2ndRateMind]

No, there isn't a website yet. Feel free to be as creative as you like. I believe we can get it hosted for free if we sign up to Microsoft Office Live. And I also think we need a catchier name than 'Food Solidarity Day'. How about 'Poor Food Day'? (thanks Bellicus) Even that's not ideal, and if anyone has a better idea, please post it. Also, it makes sense to agree on a date. Does the first day of Lent, 2010, suit everyone? I'm afraid my knowledge of the Christian calender isn't good: I'm hoping that the first day of Lent isn't pancake day, or something like that.

Best wishes, 2ndRateMind.

 

[ebia]

No, there isn't a website yet. Feel free to be as creative as you like. I believe we can get it hosted for free if we sign up to Microsoft Office Live. And I also think we need a catchier name than 'Food Solidarity Day'. How about 'Poor Food Day'? Even that's not ideal, and if anyone has a better idea, please post it. Also, it makes sense to agree on a date. Does the first day of Lent, 2010, suit everyone? I'm afraid my knowledge of the Christian calender isn't good: I'm hoping that the first day of Lent isn't pancake day, or something like that.

Best wishes, 2ndRateMind.

The first day of lent is Ash Wednesday.

Pancake day is Shrove Tuesday - ie the last day before lent. The traditional idea being to use up some of the ingredients that won't be needed during lent. Kind of the boring, English, equivalent to Mardi-gras.

 

[2ndRateMind]

Oh, OK. First day of Lent might work quite well then. Google informs me that's Wednesday, 17 February, 2010. Any objections?

Best, 2RM

 

[andy4848]

Poorfoodday.com is available (£8 a year) any other preferences pm me.

 

[dies-l]

No, there isn't a website yet. Feel free to be as creative as you like. I believe we can get it hosted for free if we sign up to Microsoft Office Live. And I also think we need a catchier name than 'Food Solidarity Day'. How about 'Poor Food Day'? (thanks Bellicus) Even that's not ideal, and if anyone has a better idea, please post it. Also, it makes sense to agree on a date. Does the first day of Lent, 2010, suit everyone? I'm afraid my knowledge of the Christian calender isn't good: I'm hoping that the first day of Lent isn't pancake day, or something like that.

Best wishes, 2ndRateMind.

How about (something) awareness day. I thought about, for example, extreme poverty awareness day, but that seems like it might be too vague.

 

[2ndRateMind]

Poorfoodday.com is available (£8 a year) any other preferences pm me.

I'm happy to go with that, pending better suggestions. I don't mind shelling out the £8, either. PM me for my email address, and I'll figure out some way to get you the money.

Best wishes, 2ndRateMind.

 

[andy4848]

Heres a quick version: poorfoodday.co.cc

PM me when a name has been settled on. I'll be adding some more pictures ant text soon.

 

[JHM]

I would be in favour. Only problem is it would require organisation; and most charities wind up spoending the bulk of the moneys collected on salaries. Would have to function at a purely volunteer level.

 

[2ndRateMind]

I would be in favour. Only problem is it would require organisation; and most charities wind up spoending the bulk of the moneys collected on salaries. Would have to function at a purely volunteer level.

I agree about the admin overhead; and the aim would be to keep that to a minimum. I'm not entirely sure what organisation would be needed, it's mainly a case of spreading the word, and that is up to anyone who thinks it's a good idea. Also, the aim is not to collect any money as an institution, but for individuals to choose their own favourite charities and donate directly to them.

Best wishes, 2ndRateMind

 

[2ndRateMind]

Heres a quick version: poorfoodday.co.cc

PM me when a name has been settled on. I'll be adding some more pictures ant text soon.

Well done; a good start.

Would it be possible for people to add their names and home towns to a list as they sign up? Or does that require an underlying database?

Best wishes, 2ndRateMind.

 

[Armistead]

This saying comes to mind...
If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day but if you teach a man how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.

Again, I think charitable donations is great, but when it comes to feeding the poor, I think we should teach them where and how to plant. And if the place they are located cannot bear fruit, then teaching them where to plant would be part of that education. I personally think most of poverty can be eliminated simply because food can be grown or hunt down (no need to purchase).

Many of the past African tribes were nomadic. They worked land in such a way that they didn't wear it out. There are numerous factors that stopped this process, but mostly wars and radical dictators. Instead of teaching them how to use the land, we promoted welfare food programs.
So millions of people sat in big groups waiting for the food truck to come by. Still, in many areas food trucks can't get in. Islam and tribal fighting is the chief cause of much of this.
The sad thing is there are still millons of Christians in these nations. They starve, have no homes or medicine, ect. Sometimes it seems strange..God doesn't seem to meet the basic needs of Christians in these areas, why we claim that God will always meet the basic needs of Christians. In America we have welfare and enough programs that about anyone can have their basic needs met, so one must ask does God really provide the basic needs of Christians as stated. If so, why does he ignore the basic needs of Christians in third world nations.
I don't think the bible teaches God will meet the physical needs of anyone.
Life proves that fairly well, but he will meet you spiritual needs anywhere, even if you starve to death in the process. God certainly wants us to meet the needs of the poor, but in a way that helps not hinders. He gave that calling to us. If we don't do it, it won't get done. Biblically, the bible teaches a form of socialism.

 

[andy4848]

Well done; a good start.

Would it be possible for people to add their names and home towns to a list as they sign up? Or does that require an underlying database?

Best wishes, 2ndRateMind.

It would require a database but i can do that if if you want. What information do you want displayed? Places that most come from, list of people that have signed up?

 

[2ndRateMind]

It would be great if you could. I think basically we would be after name (which might be a nick name, first name or whatever - doesn't have to be a full name), home town, possibly with a qualifier (eg, Paris Texas or Paris France), whichever charity they decide to support, and a field for comments.

Speaking of charities, I am going to be in touch with a few charity organisations next week to see if I can enlist their support. Depending on how much interest they show, we might want to put links to their websites on our site, if you see what I mean.

Eventually, when you're ready, it would be nice to have a page where people could put up recipes, as well, including a picture, maybe, but definately with ingredients, method and such. Haven't quite thought that one through yet, but will revert when I have.

Best wishes, 2ndRateMind.

 

[2ndRateMind]

Well, I just thought I'd fill you all in on an email I had from a guy at the local International Development Agency.

He thinks it's a good idea but:

He's not sure about the name Poor Food Day. If you can think of a better one, let me know.

He's not sure about the date of Ash Wednesday 2010. He thinks Christians may be fasting on the first day of Lent anyway, and is worried that might reduce the impact. I'm not sure about this; it seems to me that it might be synergetic, rather than conflicting. But again, if you think it would work against us, and have a better suggestion for a date, say so.

He thinks that we need 4 - 5 'partner' charities, so we can weblink to their donations page, and in some technological way I haven't sussed yet, get some idea of the click-throughs and donations we are generating. I shall be contacting OXFAM, Christian Aid and War on Want next week, but if anyone has other suggestions let me know. If there is a Catholic around when we need one, and who wants to evangelise CAFOD, that would be useful, too.

Finally, he thinks schools would be a good prospect for the project. I'm not best placed to chase this one, so if anyone wants to tackle PR among schools and colleges let me know. But don't forget to keep it international; we want the entire developed world in on this.

It occurs to me that 'alternative' (ie, veggie, vegan, organic) restaurants might also be a good prospect for us. They might take the money for a normal meal, in exchange for a 3rd world lunch or dinner, donating the sum of the difference to their charity. If anyone wants to take this on, also let me know. Ditto re internationalism.

Any other suggestions (a Come Dine With Me special maybe?) feel free to post.

That's all for now. Thanks for reading.

Best wishes, 2ndRateMind.

 

[sunlover1]

Sounds like a good idea if you could get enough people interested. (Not to mention that I really like dhal).

I love dhal.
Do you have a good recipe?

This cropped up on the BBC food and drink message board, and I thought you all might like to comment, here.

The basic observation is that obesity is a problem in the developed world, while 80 million people in the 3rd world are severly malnourished, and in danger of starvation. Moreover, we can solve the problem, simply by distributing the wealth of the world more justly.

So here is the modest proposal: we comfortable, lucky, wealthy people declare a 'food solidarity day', and voluntarily limit ourselves to the kind of food eaten by the poor for the entire day. Thus, as an example, one meal of dhal and chappattis might last us the entire day. The money we save from foregoing our normal diet gets donated to some worthy organisation of our choice.

We might time the event to coincide with, say the first or last day of lent.

Constructive criticism welcome.

Best wishes, 2ndRateMind.

Hi 2nd Rate Mind.

Not to be critical of your excellent idea... but...
for one thing, we're overweight for a reason,
and the strength of sin is the law.
Start telling folks they have to eat less
and it seems that we eat more

But yes, great ideas!!
God did say to feed the hungry,
but He said to do what for the poor?
Preach the gospel of the kingdom.


So we demonstrate the kingdom (feeding them)
then we tell them about the King ( preach the gospel)
thus ensuring their future success!


And we can do this right here locally

 

[ebia]

I love dhal.
Do you have a good recipe?

I'm no cook I'm afraid. The best dhal I've had by far was the stuff we had in Chitral (N.W.F.P, Pakistan), but I've never managed to extract the receipe from our Australian or Pakistani friends who hosted us there.

 

[andy4848]

Sorry ive not worked on the site since, I'll get everything done next week.

Could people pm me with ideas for names.

 

[2ndRateMind]

No worries. There is no pressure of deadlines on this. I just think it's a good thing to get done.

Though apparently the G20 decided to make $250 billion available to the developing world last week; which puts our efforts into perspective, I guess. It's just a shame we can't be sure that that money won't disappear into numbered swiss bank accounts as 'commissions' and 'consultancy fees' and 'administration'.

Best wishes, 2ndRateMind


edit

Recipe for Dhal:

a couple of good sized onions, diced.
a cup of red lentils
a cup of green lentils
200g coconut block, or a tin of coconut milk
cumin seed
coriander seed
cloves
cardomums
about a teaspoon of each, ground, but experiment to find what suits!
a couple of tablespoons of dried chillies, or more, if you like the heat.
quite a lot of water, to keep everything liquid as it cooks.
a tablespoon of lime pickle.

Method: as you'd expect.

onions and spices get fried up together in a little oil or ghee, then add the lentils, coconut and water, and then just simmer, adding more water as necessary, til it's done. (60 mins or so) The lime pickle and chillies go in towards the end, the later, the hotter they will be.

/end edit