We published a cookbook in Lebanon, in the midst of an economic crisis, a political revolution, and a global pandemic. Then the explosion on August 4 in the Port of Beirut tore even more lives apart. Lebanon, irrepressible Lebanon, you taught us to continue to strive to do what we can, to stand and not be defeated.

Lebanon’s poverty rate has nearly doubled  from 28% to 55% since the pandemic hit. With every book sold, a part of the proceeds is committed to UNWFP Lebanon. According to Abdallah Alwardat, Country Director and Representative of UNWFP Lebanon, "Lebanon is reeling from the triple shock of the economic crisis, the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown measures and the devastating blast that ripped through Beirut. This reality has pushed many families into poverty, often struggling to afford basic foods. The UNWFP and its partners are acutely aware of the critical situation in Lebanon and we’re working with local authorities and organizations to alleviate some of the burdens and protect the country’s most vulnerable. This beautiful book exemplifies the great spirit and great skills of women in Lebanon where able to pass on timeless traditions in difficult times just as they could in good times.” 

With every book you buy, a portion of the proceeds will go towards feeding somebody in Lebanon.

OUR STORY

We are storytellers. This is our story. 

Did you know that every night 690 million people go to bed hungry? Once we learned those numbers we chose to commit to the goal of #FeedingAll. We then sought the most active organization working on fighting hunger. Since 2017, we have been working with the UN World Food Programme on developing cookbooks that share stories and recipes of women living in each country with a portion of the sales going to feed the hungry. We’ve also strived to include information designed to alleviate dependency on charity by educating the readers on living a healthy lifestyle and starting and scaling their own culinary ventures. 

Our first cookbook launched in 2018, featuring the stories and recipes of 54 women living in Jordan built on our Empowering through™ model.

Our model that identifies and connects stakeholders — aid agencies, private and public sectors, academia, impact funds, and civil society —  to work together to enable and celebrate individuals. 

In every project of ours, we have strived to include: 45% recommended professionals, 20% economically disadvantaged beneficiaries, 10% ethnic minorities, 10% expatriates, 10% from different religious backgrounds, and 5% with mental and physical challenges to have a diverse and inclusive representation of the country.  

While we were working on Jordan’s cookbook, Sally Hurst, an American chef, was amongst those recommended to contribute her story and recipe. In October 2017, she was assigned as the Project Manager of Empowering Women through Cooking - Lebanon which has ended up featuring 52 recipes and stories of women around Lebanon. Within the pages of this cookbook, the women of Lebanon are celebrated, taking their stories out of their home kitchens and enabling them to find their voices by sharing their remarkable accomplishments. Inside we have recipes from political activists and journalists, chefs and restaurateurs, influencers and stay-at-home moms, fashion designers, and refugees. In addition to the recipes, the book features 12 articles written by a wide range of experts in both the health and business spheres. These sections are designed to be a resource for readers as they seek to better themselves through wellness and nutrition or by starting a food business of their very own. In addition, a number of women-led culinary entrepreneurs around Lebanon are profiled, offering inspiration.

“We’ve been working to produce this book for three years and I’m so thrilled that we have a beautiful book that represents the charm of Lebanon, its women, and its food! The funds raised from this project to feed the hungry couldn’t come at a better time for this country.”

— Sally Hurst, the Project Manager of this cookbook in Lebanon. 

Lebanon’s poverty rate has nearly doubled  from 28% to 55% since the pandemic hit. With every book sold, a part of the proceeds is committed to UNWFP Lebanon. According to Abdallah Alwardat, Country Director and Representative of UNWFP Lebanon, "Lebanon is reeling from the triple shock of the economic crisis, the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown measures and the devastating blast that ripped through Beirut. This reality has pushed many families into poverty, often struggling to afford basic foods.The UNWFP and its partners are acutely aware of the critical situation in Lebanon and we’re working with local authorities and organizations to alleviate some of the burdens and protect the country’s most vulnerable. This beautiful book exemplifies the great spirit and great skills of women in Lebanon where able to pass on timeless traditions in difficult times just as they could in good times.” 

“The book market has never been that tough on us. Still, we cannot miss such a call. It is our duty as publishers to spread hope messages while we still can. It is a never-ending battle and struggles that we are willing to undertake until the end. We will not give up…”      

— Nadim Dergham, founder of Dergham Printing and Publishing, Beirut. 

We are very grateful to Dergham for their support and very proud to have our cookbook published by a Lebanese publisher, and their patience in waiting for the final product. 

Thank you for working with us on championing the cause of empowering ecosystems to enable individuals, both socially and economically, so that they may go on to create impact while they tell their stories.

You are our story. 

EWC - Lebanon team.