Mescladis
Barcelona, Spain
Critical Need
The United Nations has indicated that Spain lacks the capacity to deal with the ongoing Europe-wide migrant surge, with some 9,300 individuals arriving in Spain midway through 2017. There is a need for increased social services, resources, and programs that help migrants to integrate into Spanish society and enter the formal economy. With this intention, the Cuinant Oportunitats (Cooking Opportunities) Program at Mescladis emerged, which is a culinary training program for migrants, most of whom have already passed through social institutions but struggle to find employment.
Our Involvement
Planeterra worked with Mescladis, to provide them a link to a steady market of travellers to increase the impacts of their cooking classes offered to generate income for their programs. Cooking classes for travellers are conducted by students of the culinary school, Cuinant Oportunitats. The experience at Mescladis seeks to create a meeting point between cultures, using the kitchen and food that has been infused with the traditions and flavours of migrants’ home countries as a stepping stone for discussion. More than 500 G Adventures travellers partake in this discussion and culinary experience annually.
Impact
“In Mescladis they have given me the will to do the training … and they told me we are going to work together, and we will fight together so that everything goes well. They were behind me, teaching me little by little, from cutting an onion. I learned that in this life we never, never, never have to lower our arms, we always have to fight. ” – Idrissa, who works today at the CheeseMe Restaurant.
