RECIPE FOR SUCCESS: Culinary camp arms young newcomers with ingredients to succeed
Women of Dignity International program a reality thanks to WRCF funding
Wide-ranging benefits were on the menu at the Women of Dignity International (WODI) Cook Craft Culinary Camp, where participants were hungry to get involved.
“A lot of these children have not gone to community programs. They’ve been yearning to come out to meet other kids,” said Mercy Osayi, Founder and Executive Director of WODI, which provides community well-being services for women and youth.
The culinary camp was a monthlong in-person day camp at Kitchener’s St. John’s community kitchen, providing hands-on culinary training in a fun and engaging environment. Children aged five to 16 participated in interactive cooking sessions, where they learned to prepare culturally diverse meals in workshops that included topics such as food safety, nutrition education, teamwork, and meal planning.
“It was a program that opened up so many opportunities for families in the community,” Mercy said, noting one youngster, upon completing the program, later approached her to say her strongest subject at school was now social economics.
Other youths have brought the skills they’ve learned at camp back into their family homes, where they have taken over some meal preparation responsibilities.
Participants included many new Canadians hailing from a cross-section of backgrounds, including seven African nations. Most of the kids came into the camp unfamiliar with Canadian produce, so emphasis was placed on how best to make use of the local, seasonal bounty.
“What do you have in Canada that is nourishing, good for your children's health?” Nigeria-born Mercy said, adding that participants were also taught about the financial value of purchasing seasonal produce as well as buying in bulk.
Campers also learned how to make traditional African meals such as Ofada, Eba, and Jollof rice with ingredients such as unripe plantains, cassava flour, and yam tubas. Participants decided as a group in advance what dishes they would prepare. They ate their finished products on site and typically brought remaining portions home to their families.
“We had a robust project," Mercy said. “We taught various theories, such as what veggies can go into the freezer and how to properly freeze, when to purchase seasonal ingredients to extend budget, and how to keep fruits for smoothies.”
It was about arming these individuals with transferable life skills.
“We’ve made them understand that you don’t just come to learn how to cook. It’s an entrepreneurial skill,” Mercy said. “When you’re good with that, you could run a restaurant, you could work in a long-term home. Take care of seniors and kids. It opens them up to part-time jobs that can lead to careers.”
In 2025, Waterloo Region Community Foundation (WRCF) provided financial support for the WODI Cook Craft Culinary Camp through The Waterloo Region Record – Lyle S. Hallman Foundation Kids to Camp Fund. The fund provides grants to camps for children and youth who reside in Waterloo Region and need financial assistance to attend camp. Since the fund’s inception, more than $1.9 million has been distributed to support kids in having a camp experience.
For WODI, this funding has allowed families to access the camp at no charge.
A five-person leadership team was on site each day, including a food and nutritional expert from Conestoga College, volunteers, a co-op student, and even some parents who assisted with cleaning and preparation.
“Without this funding, 99% of the practical aspect of this program would not be possible,” Mercy said. “We appreciate the funding because it was an opportunity to actually give campers the practical aspect of it.”
Added Mercy: “A lot of the programs we do that align with the funding and support WRCF offers usually serve a mass number of members in the community."
While the campers gained knowledge and skills, perhaps of equal importance were the connections made.
“They were connecting with other kids in the community. When it was time for them to have lunch with what was prepared, they were all conversing like they’d known each other for years,” Mercy said. “It was an opportunity for these kids to see the excitement in what it takes to deliver a crafted skill.”
For more information on Women of Dignity International and its programs, visit wodicommunity.org.
To learn more about The Waterloo Region Record – Lyle S. Hallman Foundation Kids to Camp Fund, go to wrcf.ca/kidstocamp.