For each week of Lent, The Central Minnesota Catholic will highlight Catholic Relief Services’ work with a story and simple, meatless recipe from a country the agency serves. Place the money saved into your CRS Rice Bowl to feed our brothers and sisters in need around the world. At the end of Lent, individuals can give their money to their parish or send their donations directly to the St. Cloud Mission Office, 11 8th Ave. South, St. Cloud, MN 56301.
By The Central Minnesota Catholic with materials from Catholic Relief Services
Amina pays it forward as a lead mother
Amina Bukar, a mother of five, is a well-respected leader and small business owner in Muna Moforo, Nigeria. In her village nutrition group, she teaches mothers how to prepare nutrient-rich porridge for their children to help them grow strong and healthy. In Nigeria, more than 25 million people face extreme hunger and lack access to nutritious food. Amina makes regular house visits to families in her community to provide support and knowledge for leading healthy lives.
In 2014, violence in their community forced Amina and her family to flee their village where she had owned a chicken farm and a store and her husband, Garba, had worked for a water and land conservation agency.
“I left with just my purse, a small amount of money and the clothes on my back. I used to live well but suddenly, I lost everything” Amina says. “We didn’t have the money to buy sardines or even eggs.”
Amina and her family had to start life all over again. Amina joined a Catholic Relief Services program that provided food and cooking supplies, which enabled them to eat healthy meals as they worked to rebuild their lives and find employment.
To earn income, she started a food grinding business and began preparing specialty foods to sell in the market, like hibiscus drinks and gingerbread palm fruit. She earned enough money to support her family’s needs and now provides materials to other women to help them start their own businesses.
Amina was nominated to be a lead mother in her village by helping her community overcome the challenges of hunger so they can thrive.
Pictured above: Amina Bukar, a lead mother in Nigeria, pours Tom Brown puree into cups for caregivers from the Muna Maforo community. Tom Brown is a food supplement made up of yellow corn, soybeans, millets, groundnut and cloves fed to malnourished children to aid their recovery. Photo by Randy Radeno Haniel for Catholic Relief Services
Egg Sauce with Boiled Yams — Nigeria
Egg sauce—or fried eggs—is a common dish from Nigeria. This easy-to-make recipe includes scrambled eggs cooked with vegetables and spices and served with nutritious boiled yams.
Start to finish: Approximately 30 minutes
Servings: 4-6
Ingredients:
4 large yams or sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1-inch rounds
1 tsp. salt, plus 1/2 tsp. salt for the eggs
4-6 eggs
1-2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1-2 small scotch bonnet or habanero peppers, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 medium sized tomatoes, diced
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 tbsp. vegetable bouillon
1/2 tsp. curry
1/2 tsp. thyme
Rinse the yam or sweet potato slices and place them in a large pot. Fill with enough water to cover them and add 1 tsp. salt. Boil on medium-high until tender, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from heat and drain.
Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk until well combined. Stir in 1/4 tsp. salt and set aside. Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan on a medium-low heat, about 2-3 minutes. Add the chopped peppers, tomatoes and onion and sauté for about 4-5 minutes. Add 1/4 tsp. salt, vegetable bouillon, curry and thyme. Stir to mix spices into the vegetables. Add whisked eggs to the pan and let cook for about one minute. Stir to scramble the eggs. Serve immediately with boiled yams.
Eating a simple meal during Lent helps us reflect on the hunger that many people face worldwide. Make a Lenten donation to help ensure all the members of our global family have access to enough nutritious food.