Issue link: https://takingitglobal.uberflip.com/i/1545356
Asma Musa, Ontario Quraac, Qado iyo Casho Ramadan is a time for reflection and gratitude for millions of Muslims around the world. For Asma, it was a month of giving back to her community. Through collaboration with Smile for Sacha's Feeding the Fasting Program, they prepared and distributed 300+ iftar meals per day over the month of Ramadan. This initiative provided youth with an opportunity to participate in community service through food preparation and delivery. Volunteers built confidence in the kitchen and deepened their understanding of how food is nourishment for the body and soul. At a community level, the program helped reduce food insecurity during Ramadan and provided culturally appropriate meals to foster dignity and belonging among recipients. While working on her project, Asma introduced volunteers to Shurbad - a traditional Somali barley soup – by sharing its pre-colonial history and her great-great-grandmother's recipe. This moment helped volunteers feel connected to their identity and realize the cultural importance of food. For the future, Asma wants to make her initiatives sustainable and impactful at the policy level, while empowering more youth to take on leadership roles. We weren't just preparing food. We were preserving knowledge, strengthening cultural pride, and passing forward stories that might otherwise be lost. Being able to honour my ancestors while sharing that experience with fellow youth was incredibly powerful, and exactly the kind of impact I hope to continue creating. FOOD & HEALTH