Background
Curriculum Overview
The five tastes that stimulate and are perceived by our taste buds are sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami. Each of these tastes plays a unique role in how we perceive flavor and we have used these to create our diverse and engaging learning experience curriculum it potentially involves lessons on the science of taste, nutrition, and food Literacy.
Our Participants
Our participants are children aged 5-12 years from Lilongwe rural, Central Region,
Malawi. Over half of the population lives below the poverty line, and malnutrition is a
significant issue in Malawi, particularly in rural areas. Educational attainment is lower
for children in rural areas, and health issues such as malnutrition are prevalent.Â
Graduates’ Qualities
 Once the children graduate from our training program, they will:
1. Have a deeper understanding about Nutrition, know the importance of a balanced
diet, and the role of different nutrients in the body. They will understand the
importance of eating a variety of foods to get all the necessary nutrients.
Nourishing Minds
Curriculum Aim
The curriculum’s main aim is to empower children to make the right/ Informed choices about the food they eat and understand its impact on their health and environment.
Phase 1: Bitter
Bitterness serves as a defensive mechanism against harmful substances, and so in this phase, they learn to identify and avoid harmful practices in farming and nutrition.
Phase 2: Sour
Like the sharp/Tangy and exciting sensation of sour taste, this Phase introduces kids to the exciting world of agriculture. They learn about different farming techniques and start setting up their kitchen garden.
Phase 3: Salty
Salt is crucial for balancing flavors in a dish. Similarly, here they learn composting and mulching which are essential practices that help balance the nutrients in the soil.
Phase 4: Umami
Umami has a mild but lasting savory good aftertaste. In this phase, they learn to harvest and preserve the surplus. This not only has a lasting impact on their health but also on their food security.
Phase 5: Sweet
Sweetness is a pleasurable sensation. This will be the joy and satisfaction the kids feel when they exhibit what they've learned. Rewards are sweet but not without sweat, This Phase serves as a reward for the hard work and effort the kids have put into their learning journey.