Very humbling to read... Haitians poor eating dirt...

As a chef, it seems quite disheartening to read this.
But maybe I should spend time on reflecting and making a difference with food for all people and not a select few. I know I am self medicating here but think it is important enough to share...
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/stor ... 54,00.html
The story online actually shows how they make these cookies.


Mud cookies - made from dirt, salt and vegetable shortening - have become popular among Haitians desperate to stave off hunger, the Associated Press reports.

The dirt cookies

The cookies - which are occasionally used by pregnant women and children as an antacid and source of calcium - have become a regular meal.

Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere and one of the most disadvantaged in the world.

Seventy-six per cent of the population lives on less than $2.25 a day, and 55 per cent live on less than $1.13 a day.

Chronic malnutrition is widespread and diarrhoea - an easily-preventable disease - kills one in five children under the age of five.

Haitian doctors have warned that relying on the mud cookies will lead to malnutrition.

“Trust me, if I see someone eating those cookies, I will discourage it,” said Gabriel Thimothee, executive director of Haiti’s health ministry.

The mud cookies sell for around five cents each, compared to 60 cents for two cups of rice.

That is so sad.....I can't even imagine.

A former government official from Haiti (I'm sorry I don't remember his exact title) used to be very heavily involved in the saddlebred industry in Shelby County. He used to fly his daughter here from Haiti to take riding lessons. They kept horses out there. They used to come to the KY State Fair every year - and even had a rolls royce to drive around in when they were in Kentucky.

My family used to be involved in the horse business and I must admit that one year at the fair I saw his dusty Rolls Royce sitting there and couldn't resist writing "Sell your car - feed your people" in the dust on his car.

Talk about a disparity in classes.

I just saw the story on CNN- it brought me to tears. Since our government is doing so little for our neighbors I guess I wll spend my rebate at some relief organization.

For more information on hunger and world poverty go to http://www.poverty.com/

Also if you are a crossword aficionado you can switch to playing a simple but educational word game at http://www.freerice.com/ where you can strengthen your vocabulary and donate rice to through the United Nations to help end world hunger