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Mauretania
A country in northwestern Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean and located in the Sahel zone. More than 80% of Mauritania’s territory is covered by the sands of the Sahara. It is the fourth most climate-vulnerable country in the world. Recurring cycles of prolonged drought (leading to the degradation of natural resources) and a deepening water deficit have created a severe food insecurity crisis. Although it is home to about 5.2 million people, Mauritania is a textbook example of hunger caused by poverty and insufficient local food production.
Overview:
- one of the poorest countries in the world – about 5.8% of the population live on less than 2.15 USD per day
- domestic cereal production covers only about 24% of the national food demand (around 76% of food is imported)
- around 25% of children under the age of five suffer from chronic malnutrition (stunting)
- 61% of the population experience moderate or severe food insecurity, and about 12% are in a food crisis (IPC phase 3+)
In 2024, we helped
152
children suffering from hunger or moderate malnutrition
We also provided medical care to about
a dozen
people with disabilities
Easter is not about indulging oneself and satisfying hunger. We celebrate the greatest holiday of Christianity primarily by sharing with others. We invite our loved ones to the table. The symbolism of the table and food hides the most important symbols of these holidays. Food signifies life.
In West Africa, there is no tradition of blessing food. The traditional Easter egg is also not the most important here.
“In Senegal, the custom during the Holy Week is to share traditional ‘Ngalakh’. It’s a kind of dessert consisting primarily of couscous made of millet, a thick sauce of peanuts, and flour from baobab fruit. Each family has its own unique recipe. They add raisins and other fruits,”
says Sister Ewa, headmistress of a vocational school for girls in Dakar.
Ngalakh is prepared on Holy Thursday. It’s prepared but not eaten. Only after the Passion Play, after the burial of Jesus, Christians gather and in the spirit of mourning share Ngalakh with Muslims.
Everywhere in the world, the Easter table and celebration are about sharing, about giving each other attention, care, and support.
We recently returned from Senegal and Mauritania. There is no doubt that we’d like to invite the young beneficiaries of the nutrition centers in Kaédi and Atar to our table, to share life with them. They are the ones who need our care and life-giving food the most. Every €4 donated here is one day of nutrition for a child. Give them Easter full of life!
