Between the 13-19 June I’ll be taking the ration challenge. I’ll be eating the same rations as a Syrian refugee for one week to raise money which Concern Worldwide will spend on emergency food, healthcare and life saving support for Syrian refugees in Jordan as well as internally displaced people in countries like Lebanon, Bangladesh, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
As a food blogger in a first world country, I am incredibly aware of my privilege and just how lucky I am to eat what I want, when I want. I’m passionate about stopping food waste as you probably know by now decided that it’s time to use my voice as a blogger and podcaster to raise some much needed money (and awareness) for refugees who have so much less than us.
As the Syrian conflict heads into its 10th year, watch this video to get an understanding of the situation and why the Ration Challenge is so important.
The ration challenge
You might remember that last year I took the Hunger UK live below the line challenge with a budget of £5 for five days worth of food. It gave me some understanding of what it’s like to have a fixed food budget and have to choose what to buy over and above other items. I spent a long time in Aldi trying to work out if I could afford an extra tin of sardines for protein over something filling like rice or beans. It was tough. And yet at the end fo the week my life returned to normal.
This time around, I’ll be eating the same rations as a Syrian refugee. Whilst I know that it won’t be a true reflection of life as a refugee, it will give me a small insight into someone’s perspective. I’m expecting to feel emotional and hungry. I’ll probably have caffeine withdrawals and that’ll make me grumpy. But I’ll be doing it in the comfort of my own home, with heating, wifi, TV, a flushing toilet and comfortable bed, so whilst I can’t possibly understand what it feels like to be displaced I can hopefully send a message of solidarity and raise some money which will make a practical difference to the lives of people who urgently need our support right now.
Ration pack contents
I’ve been provided my rations along with a list of what additional items I can add. It’s exactly the same contents as a refugee ration pack. This is for a week of meals:
- Rice: 420g
- Lentils: 170g
- Dried chickpeas: 85g
- Tinned sardines (or tofu): 120g
- Tinned kidney beans: 400g
- Vegetable oil (self-supplied): 330ml
In addition to these rations, I’ll also have 1.5kg of rice and 400g of flour. This represents additional food purchased with coupons that some refugees are given by the UN or other organisations. I’ll be drinking water and through my fundraising efforts so far I’ve also managed to procure two teabags, 170g of vegetables, some salt and one spice.
Hear all about it…
As most of you know by now, I also host a food podcast! My latest episode is with Danny Harvey, the Executive Director of the UK Concern Worldwide office. She’s done the challenge and talks about her experience, along with some examples of how the money we’re raising is used and the work Concern do. It was a really good insight for me and hopefully you’ll enjoy it too!
Sponsor me or join my team
I’d love you to sponsor me for this challenge, whatever you can afford. Or, if you can’t afford, I’d love you to share this blog post to help spread the message? If you’d like to go one step further, why not join me? I’ve set up an at the sauce team so let’s do the challenge together!
To find out more, or to sponsor me, head over to this link.