UCP organises Food Education workshops with Ajuda de Mãe

On 14 and 27 May, the Universidade Católica Portuguesa (UCP), as part of the Projeto VIDA (LIFE Project), organised two skills volunteering sessions in collaboration with the Ajuda de Mãe institution.

These workshops, focused on Nutrition Education, were led by Shirley Silva, a nutritionist and postgraduate student in Organisational Development and Team and People Training at the Faculty of Human Sciences. The sessions took place at the headquarters of Ajuda de Mãe and were attended by 10 pregnant women and mothers assisted by the organisation.

As part of the Projeto VIDA, volunteers can get involved with the community in various ways, including skills volunteering. Shirley Silva, who began her career as a volunteer at Ajuda de Mãe providing regular support in the nursery, was challenged to apply her knowledge of nutrition for the benefit of the organisation's users. Drawing on her experience and training, Shirley organised two workshops entitled "Food for the whole family" and "Introducing food to babies", aimed at pregnant women and mothers assisted by Ajuda de Mãe.

"The course lived up to my expectations, I'm full of ideas to put into practice with my family. I'd like to emphasise the excellent quality of the trainer, who was available and accessible. A special thank you to all of you who support us", emphasises Ariana da Silva, one of the workshop participants, highlighting the positive impact of this initiative.

Catarina Pinto, a representative of Ajuda de Mãe, also emphasised the importance of the sessions: "It's very important to be more aware of our diet and to correct it in order to become healthier and more aware of our sustainability. The session was very interesting, not least because of the tools used (participation of the trainees and the use of games, presentation of healthy recipes)".

These initiatives emphasise the importance of skills volunteering, where professionals and students can contribute their knowledge to the development and well-being of the community. The Universidade Católica Portuguesa, through the Projeto VIDA, reaffirms its commitment to promoting actions that generate a positive and sustainable impact on society.