His mother says that she is “feeding” him with fish and soup, and that due to poverty, that they are living in an ʻunhealthy environmentʼ. In addition, Mark has stomach problems regularly, as well as dysentery due to the poor quality of water available. However, the shocking fact for the staff at the centre was that the mother seemed depressed and was unable to show any sign of love or care for her son. She told one of the TFC staff that, “if you find somebody who wants him, then they can take him”. This may have been due to her being unable to support her son, as well as the psychological toll it may have taken on his mother in bringing up a child in such impoverished and unhealthy conditions.

In many other cases also, many malnourished children have young mothers with no means of earning a living. There is also a huge problem in Liberia, where husbands
often leave girls when they become pregnant, so they end up as single mothers. This is fueled by a strong traditional belief that you cannot have sex with a woman who is pregnant, or is breastfeeding. Therefore, once a woman becomes pregnant, husbands often leave and go to other women for sex. They often never return, leaving mothers on their own to survive and take care of their children.

As of June 2010, Mark continues to improve and is still receiving life saving treatment via the TFC in Monrovia

Country Background

After recovering from 14 years of violence and civil war, Liberia has now been relatively peaceful for nearly 7 years. The period before the war had also seen very little development in the country. A democratic government is now in place following the general election in 2005, and this is currently doing its best to meet the challenges and needs facing the population in this post-war country. However, the destruction of facilities and infrastructure during the war has severely reduced the functioning of the government departments, public services, and subsequently access to these basic services.

This has been compounded by a huge lack of experienced, qualified, and skilled personnel, such as teachers, with the relevant technical knowledge, to help rebuild the new infrastructures. As such, poor urban populations remain highly vulnerable to major crises and sudden shocks, whilst the rural populations are widely spread out and are isolated, and thus difficult to reach.

As such, these poorer communities both remain equally vulnerable to chronic crises due to a lack of appropriate facilities and services, which would normally serve as a ʻsafety netʼ, for the most disadvantaged communities. One of these major problems is malnutrition, often caused by a lack of access to food, mostly due to poverty, or loss of livelihood following the civil war.

Despite the relative stability in the country recently, many international aid agencies have stopped treating malnourished children (especially under-5ʼs), and government services and private facilities are non-existent. Liberia still remains one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world, ranked at 169 out of 182 in the United Nations Human Development Index.

The Problem of Malnutrition

Malnutrition is a major problem, especially in the capital city of Monrovia. However, whilst nutrition is a key part of the Liberian Ministry of Healthʼs Basic Package for Health Services (BPHS), the government is not yet in a position to provide services to tackle the problem. This is mainly due to a lack of funding, a lack of facilities, as well as limited skills and capability within the government. For example, there are no specific health departments or public services dedicated to deal with the countryʼs malnutrition.

With a lack of public services, ACF and our key Liberian local partner organization ANDP have formed a partnership to tackle malnutrition in the country. ANDP (Aid for the Needy Development Programme), are technically qualified and skilled in running nutritional programmes and operations. However, this depends on funding being available for ACF and ANDP to be able to continue this critical work, until a time the government becomes self-reliant and capable. In the meantime, ANDP has essentially taken over from the government, in the treatment of malnutrition in Monrovia. ACF also continues to guide the malnutrition prevention activities, and is working with key aid agencies towards a way to promote long term sustainability within the government for tackling acute malnutrition.

Action Against Hunger & ANDP Experience

With the lack of skills and expertise to deal with acute malnutrition within the government, and until a time the government is able to take charge, ACF and ANDP have essentially taken over in addressing acute malnutrition in Liberia, especially in Monrovia. As a result, ACF established 1 in-patient Therapeutic Feeding Centre (TFC) and 7 Out-patient Treatment Programmes (OTPs) which have gradually opened since April 2007. The first OTP that opened was run by ACF, while the next six were run by ANDP. However, in February 2009, the TFC caseload was transferred directly to ANDP, who are now the only organisation involved in the direct treatment of acute malnutrition in the region. As such the skills, capability, experience, knowledge, and continued presence of ANDP is absolutely vital in tackling malnutrition in Liberia.

Funding is thus desperately required for ANDP to continue this critical work within the Monrovia area. Funds would enable the treatment of up to 1200 children (within the TFC and 5 OTPs), as well as up to an additional 3,360 children in the 5 Supplementary Feeding Centres (SFCs). This would reach almost 4,560 children over a 12 month period. In addition, ANDP and ACF would also provide support and advice for the Liberian Ministry of Health, allowing their government health centre staff to also develop and learn the key technical skills and management methods for acute malnutrition for a time in the future when they are able to take over.

2. Project Objectives & Activities

The project will target and primarily benefit children under-5 years of age specifically, along with their caregivers, such as mothers and grandmothers, as well as ʻat-riskʼ groups (such as, those with HIV/AIDS, disabled, elderly, etc) and the approach has two main components;

1. Treatment: of severely acutely malnourished children under 5 years old within the Therapeutic Feeding Centre (TFC) and Outpatient Therapeutic Programmes (OTPs). This includes hygiene, health and nutritional education and care practices activities aiming at creating healthy mother and child activities and relationships. Key activities would include;

• Continued operation of the Therapeutic Feeding Centre (TFC) and Outpatient Therapeutic Programme (OTPs)
• Expansion of activities at the TFC and OTPs to benefit greater numbers of malnourished children.
• ACF to reinforce, train, and build greater skills and expertise within ANDP in the treatment & prevention of malnutrition.

2. Prevention: of malnutrition through awareness raising, counselling, and educational care practice activities for the most vulnerable ʻat-riskʼ groups within the communities. Providing health information in an easy to understand way to help prevent malnutrition. Key activities would include;

• Activities to promote & raise awareness of malnutrition for caregivers, such as mothers, to prevent malnutrition in the community (e.g. community events, leaflet distribution, door to door visits, radio adverts etc).
• Training & support for Liberian Ministry Of Health staff in charge of nutrition programmes.

Unfortunately, as Liberia is one of the poorest ʻleast developed countriesʼ in the world, the Government itself has little in the way of money to support this work, and international donors do not seem to demonstrate a high level of interest on malnutrition issues. This lack of funding seems to persist despite ACFʼs own research into the potentially serious increase in malnutrition if the situation is left unchallenged. This has also been confirmed by the UNICEF Nutrition Survey (March 2009). Therefore, ACF will continue supporting ANDP, and carry on trying to seek funding from donors worldwide for ending malnutrition. Whilst not the main aspect of the project, nevertheless, ACF understands the need to build skills in the Liberian Government, and will also help the Ministry of Health in the best way it can until it can take over itself and become self-sufficient and skilled enough in the treatment & prevention of malnutrition.

Of course to be purist, any Queenslander or New South Welshman could dub our lamb “Mexican”, coming as it does from the southern states and our beef cattle are “English Breed” but we have it on the highest authority, (from Cordina Farms themselves), that countless generations of Aussie chickens have been raised by their family business, over the last 65 years.

Why does it taste so good? Well, we use only lamb leg, our beef is really lean and the chicken is guaranteed cage free, hormone free and grain-fed with not a GMO in sight.

Its simple – all we do is mix the meat with our unique Zambrero rubs and marinades. It’s then sealed and slow cooked at 70 degrees for 16 hours, which has two major benefits:

• First: it intensifies the flavour and maintains all the juices so it is succulent and tender.
• Second: it’s sealed so needs no preservatives to keep it pure and perfect until it somersaults in your mouth assaulting your senses in a zesty fiesta of sauce and salsa.

Mexican? Australian? We actually think it’s the best of both and the reason why our food is the best!

The new Zambrero Westfield Woden Food Court replaces the Zambrero Woden restaurant at the Woden Bus Interchange. The new location of our Zambrero Woden restaurant gives Zambrero customers the convenience of shopping as well as having their healthy Zambrero fix at the same time.

Zambrero Woden Westfield Food Court Restaurant Manager, Jason Roses, is the man responsible for delivering the zesty Zambrero offering. “I’m excited to be part of the first food court built Zambrero restaurant in Australia. It’s the newest food store there, with a funky vibe and is a healthy alternative using the modern Mexican cuisine. I can’t wait to start again in Woden—to give our existing customers the Zambrero goodness they deserve and am looking forward to converting new customers who have not tried Zambrero.”

Make sure you make your way to Zambrero Westfield Woden, Keltie Street, Woden, ACT, 2606.

Grand opening offer: $5.00 burritos and bols all day. OMZ!

Zambrero Woden Westfield Food Court Trading Hours:
Monday to Wednesday: 11.00am–5.30pm
Thursday: 11.00am–5.30pm
Friday: 11.00am–9.00pm
Saturday: 11.00am–5.00pm
Sunday: 11.00am–4.00pm

Situated in the heart of the Weston ACT shopping precinct, it’s time to get a flavour hit at Zambrero Weston Creek. The new Zambrero restaurant promises to be a huge hit with the locals. Franchise Partner and owner of Zambrero Weston Creek, Trung Le, is really happy that construction of his new Zambrero restaurant is now underway and moving at a rapid pace. “I just can’t wait to get rolling Zambrero’s amaZing burritos and packing the natural goodness into every taco and dos capas for all Weston residents. I have wanted my own Zambrero restaurant for a long time and now that it is happening, I just can’t wait to get in there and spread the Zambrero message and get more people to fall in love with the Zambrero food”. We could not have said it any better than that Trung!

Make your way to Zambrero Weston Creek: Unit 12, 14-16 Brierly Street, Weston Creek, ACT, 2611

Grand opening offer: $5.00 burritos and bols all day, 16 February 2012. OMZ!

Trading hours: TBA

The logo was created by Sydney-based, Equilibrium Design in conversation with Dr Sam Prince, founder of Zambrero, and it embodies everything we’re about:

Modern Mexico: with its bold, bright, shapes and colours.

Notice the colours? Inspiration was taken from the natural, vibrant contrast of our fresh, healthy food especially those favourite ingredients we feature in so many dishes—coriander, lime, tomato, corn and spanish onion.

And OK, no prizes for guessing why we chose a Z but the rounded shapes at each end signify the round ripeness of quality produce, generosity and conversation. The completed Z joins these—a conduit of exchange and interaction between Zambrero, our customers and those less fortunate who we reach through our plate4plate initiative.

We love it and hope you do too.