Hungry for Change

6 April 2011Sarah M

With a population nearing seven billion, it is remarkable, but true, that enough food is produced to feed all the people of this world. Despite this, 925 million people are chronically hungry and five million children die each year as a result of malnutrition because, though enough food is produced to feed the world, its distribution is inequitable. Though most malnutrition occurs in developing countries, it is a problem faced in every neighbourhood from Mozambique to Mill Bay.
In an effort to alleviate hunger in our own community and to raise awareness about the importance of thinking globally and locally, the first ever Brentwood BEAT Hunger Banquet took flight this past weekend.
Tickets were a minimum donation of ten dollars, all of which went towards the local CMS Foodbank, and many who were unable to make it to the event purchased tickets with the request that they be given to users of the foodbank. As the gates opened to a flood of charitable guests, there was much flutter over which part of the world they would be representing. Guests drew tokens to reveal which income group they would be a part of for the night—15 percent received meals of lasagne and side dishes served on a table of fine linens; 25 percent represented the middle income group and helped themselves to beans and rice on a plain table; the remaining 60 percent represented the lowest income group of the world and served themselves a meal of rice and water to be eaten on the floor. These ratios are representative of the world as the majority of humanity has insufficient food to feed their families.
There was much laughter between family members as parents received meals in the low income group while children represented the top 15 percent and guests mingled as the night got underway with speeches from emcees Charlotte W and Megan R and the reading of role play cards to give further weight to the meal—we were representing real people from all corners of the globe.
After the initial dinners were distributed, a spirit of giving and goodwill spread across the room as members of the high income group offered to share their meals with those seated on the floor and one man travelled to all those eating plain rice with his bowl of curry to share.
Once the dinners had been demolished, the Brentwood Jazz Choir under the orchestration of Mr. Phil Newns arrived to begin the evening’s entertainment with selections from Queen to classics. The light hearted music later gave way to another genre as the Marimba band Malaika got toes tapping and soon the entire room was dancing with people representing all incomes coming together to enjoy the theme of the night. Playing African songs, Malaika taught dances to accompany their music, each of which had a message, the strongest being that family is important and that it takes support from one another to reach our goals for a better life.
What had become a celebration of life drew to a close with a speech from Nonah, the foodbank representative and many thanks were given for the money raised and support shown. The message of the night was clear: hunger is a crucial issue that can only be addressed with support and change, and that each of us has our own part to play.
Many, many thanks to Ms. Richardson for organizing this inaugural banquet, to members of the BEAT and SPARC who also made the night possible, to the Crooks Hall staff who prepared palatable plates for all, and to the Jazz Choir and Malaika for bringing us all together through song.
See you next year!

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