Recipe for hope: In Cameroon, a blend of tradition and innovation fuels the fight against severe food insecurity

In the Far North region of Cameroon, a mainly French-speaking country in West Africa, there is a quiet culinary revolution going on. In this episode of Red Vest podcast, we begin our story among a group of women at the heart of that effort. As they mix and stir, hunched over a boiling and sweet-smelling liquid in the afternoon heat, they chat and share tips. “The fact that women know how to make this fortified porridge has changed their habits, their mindset, and motivated them to change the way they cook,” says Hassanatou, one of several Red Cross volunteers featured in this episode of Red Vest podcast. On this day, Hassanatou is leading a demonstration on how to make a thick brown porridge they call ”la bouillie enrichie” outside the local Red Cross office. The mixture is packed with nutritious nuts, grains, honey and other ingredients. In short, it has all the proteins, carbohydrates and vitamins needed to keep a body going even in tough circumstances. “Using all those ingredients, the children are healthy,” Hassanatou continues. In many places around the world, this sweet energy-packed mixture could be marketed as a super-rich power drink, favored by fitness buffs. But here ...