Repostería

Cookery, nutrition, health and hygiene

Program Coordinator:

Teófila Salazar de Villalobos

The Parish of San Juan Evangelista (St. John the Evangelist)
Pamplona Baja, San Juan de Miraflores, Lima

The Repostería runs 3-months series of classes which teach the participants basic cooking skills, nutrition, and health and hygiene. Residents of the shanty towns and the invasions lack a proper diet and proper nutrition. Furthermore, ovens are not an everyday household appliance, as they are expensive to buy and operate. Typical family cooking is of the "one pot" variety, high in starch in the form of rice and potatoes. The Repostería classes teach the participants about a balanced diet for better nourishment.

The basic cooking skills initially focus on baking. The participants are given simple recipes and taught how to make high quality baked goods. This provides new skills to the participants and a means of additional income by selling the baked goods from their homes. The Repostería operates a semi-industrial oven. The participants use the oven to bake their new recipes. Additionally, they can use the oven for a nominal fee in order to bake more goods for selling. The skills also allow a few of the participants to find part-time work as bakers.

The Repostería has been teaching classes since 1997. Financial support for this project will help to continue to provide resources and training to people in one of Lima's poorest areas.