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About the Vyamtswano Women's Group
The Vyamtswano Women's Group currently
consists of 18 women who were born and raised in the area of Tiwi on the
South Coast of Kenya. While the villagers of Tiwi have minimal income,
they are a resourceful and determined people. They possess a long history
and a rich culture. They live in an area of great natural beauty and
plentiful resources. Not surprisingly, the Vyamtswano Women's
Swahili and Traditional dishes also are simple but rich in unexpected
ways. The recipes are flavoured with coconut, indigenous organic
ingredients and spices that are so much a part of a complex culinary and
social heritage. "Vyamtswano" in the Kidigo language means "something
delicious" and their food is exactly that.
The idea of a cookbook had been floating
around for several years among the women. Many of the ladies were looking
for a way to generate income, no matter how small. Their idea of creating
a cookbook took shape with the arrival of Peace Corps Volunteer, Sherry
Barnes who assisted them in applying for a small grant from the U.S.
Ambassador's Special Self-Help Fund. Since then, the ladies have
officially registered their group with Kenya's Ministry of Gender, Sports,
and Social Services. They have appeared on Nation News Television and on
radio. They have been visited by members of the office of the President.
Using their small cache of collective funds, traveling with their own
cooking utensils, sufurias and charcoal jikos, they have participated in
numerous exhibitions. Currently they have long-range plans to open their
own restaurant and provide catering services and cooking classes for the
local tourist industry.
It is the hope of the Vyamtswano Women's Group
that those who use the recipes in this book will not only enjoy the
dishes, but will come away with a deeper appreciation of Swahili social
and spiritual life as it is expressed in the making of delicious and
nutritious food.
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