VOLONTARIAT INDIA
Nutrition and Spirulina
NUTRITION AND SPIRULINA
Spirulina production :
For many years, Volontariat has become aware of the exceptional properties of Spirulina for curing many diseases, including malnutrition, anemia and malnutrition, restore or enhance the health of children and adults of all ages. Also, very early, Spirulina was incorporated, whenever possible, in the lunch of the sponsored children. Similarly, aged people consume Amaidhi Illam also as supplements to their usual meals. Today, a glass of lemon juice with Spirulina replaces the usual tea and is increasingly accepted by all. In the 80’s, the only source of Spirulina, near Pondicherry, was at Auroville where it was cultivated in two places. Then we got it through Father Shanti who started a Spirulina farm, next to the Fraternity of Charles de Foucauld in Alampoondi, 100 km from Pondicherry. Since 2009 Volontariat produces its own spirulina at TTK farm.
Nutrition program
Many Volontariat programs involve the preparation of food: the midday meals for the sponsored children, all meals for children in the crèches and kindergartens, including those of OM Shanti, all meals for aged people of Amaidhi & Thendral Illam, the meals of the elderly living alone at Oupalam and Dubraypeth, the meals of the apprentices, the employees of Volontariat, the foreign visitors and the invitees. The food is also cooked for the boys of Souriya Home.
The vegetables and groceries are daily carried to the farm for the children of Nila Illam and their foster mothers.
All this adds up to the equivalent of eight hundred meals per day. In addition, snacks and milk are distributed to children before the evening classes start and there are always special preparations for celebrations.
When she had the opportunity, Madeleine made a centralized kitchen in the center Selvanilayam. This modern kitchen, opened in 2001, with burners and gas cookers powered by central steam to cook the daily rice, replaced the old fire-wood stoves and, even after 10 years of daily use, still is one of the most modern in Pondicherry.
One In charge and three experienced women manage the kitchen, plan the menus and prepare the meals with other women from Uppalam and two men, around ten people in all. A storekeeper is in charge of handing out vegetables, fruit, groceries, milk, meat and fish and maintains the stock register.
Special attention is given to provide the children with a balanced diet. The type of food varies every day: carrot or beetroot salads, a main dish of rice or pasta, vegetables or fish, meat, eggs, and a fruit or a sweet for dessert. Protein supplements are added regularly with Spirulina which is locally produced at Touttipakkam farm since early 2009.
