African Food and Art

Thank you to our latest donor, Tony. Thank you, Tony. We were able to purchase three new stainless steel pots to continue our cooking and teaching heritage.

Zika Virus Five Key Facts

Five key facts of the Zika virus according to the Worldwide Health Organization (WHO) as of January 2016


Zika Virus Five Key Facts


·        A virus transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes causes the Zika virus.

·        People with Zika virus usually have a mild fever, skin rash and conjunctivitis normally lasting for 2-7 days.

·        There is no specific treatment or vaccine currently available.

·        The best form of prevention is protection against mosquito bites.

·        The Zika virus is known to circulate presently in North and South America, Asia, and the Pacific. The only country in Africa known to have a Zika transmission is Capo Verde.

The Zika virus is known to circulate presently in North and South America, Asia, and the Pacific. The only country in Africa known to have a Zika transmission is Capo Verde.
Zika transmission areas
Introduction
Zika virus is an emerging mosquito-borne virus that was first identified in Uganda in 1947 in rhesus monkeys through a monitoring network of sylvatic yellow fever.


Signs and Symptoms
The incubation period (the time from exposure to symptoms) of Zika virus disease is not clear, but is likely to be a few days. The symptoms are fever, skin rashes, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise, and headache. These symptoms are usually mild and last for 2-7 days.


Transmission
Zika virus is transmitted to people through the bite of an infected mosquito in tropical regions. More than 13 countries in the Americas have reported sporadic Zika virus infections indicating rapid geographic expansion of Zika virus.


Diagnosis
Zika virus is diagnosed through PCR (polymerase chain reaction) and virus isolation from blood samples.


Prevention
Mosquitoes and their breeding sites pose a significant risk factor for Zika virus infection. Prevention and control relies on reducing mosquitoes through source reduction and reducing contact between mosquitoes and people. Prime time for mosquitoes bites is at dawn and at dusk. Travelers should take the basic precautions to protect themselves from mosquito bites. It takes two days for the Aedes mosquito to transition from egg to biting female adult.

The Aedes mosquitoes causes the Zika virus.
The Aedes mosquito

Treatment
Zika virus disease is usually relatively mild and requires no specific treatment. People sick with Zika virus should get plenty of rest, drink enough fluids, and treat pain and fever with common medicines. If symptoms worsen, they should seek medical care and advice. There is currently no vaccine available.


Zika and Pregnancy
Recently in Brazil, local health authorities have observed an increase in Zika virus infections in the public as well as an increase in babies born with microcephaly in northeast Brazil. Microcephaly is the abnormal smallness of the head, a congenital condition associated with incomplete brain development.


According to WHO, agencies investigating the Zika outbreaks are finding an increasing body of evidence about the link between Zika virus and microcephaly. However, more investigation is needed before we understand the relationship between microcephaly in babies and the Zika virus. Other potential causes are also being investigated however, as of February 5, 2016, the Zika virus is strongly suspected in certain microcephaly cases in the Americas.


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All About The 18 Islands of Cape Verde Cabo Verde formally known as Cape Verde until 2013, is a group of 18 U-shaped islands located off mainland Western Africa in the Atlantic Ocean. All About the 18 Islands of Cabo Verde Cabo Verde is not one large island but a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal. The Portuguese discovered and colonized the once uninhabited Cabo Verde islands in the 15th century. Due to its central location between Africa and America, Cabo Verde was a major trading port for African slaves for over three centuries by the Portuguese. Cabo Verde Slave Trade Slave traders from mainly North America and Portugal would travel to Cabo Verde and purchase slaves who would labor to grow mainly cotton, rice and indigo. Most Cabo Verdeans have both African and Portuguese heritage. During the 15th to 19th centuries, European powers, including the Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, and English, established trading posts and forts on the islands of Cabo V...
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God couldn't be everywhere, so he created mothers

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Keto Moroccan Dinner Cooked Slowly

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Slow Cooked Moroccan Kefta Lamb Meatballs   Keto Tagine Morocco is at the geographic and cultural crossroads between Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.   In Morocco, the term tagine refers to a slow cooked stew as well as the pot the stew is made in. Kefta Tagine Kefta Tagine is a keto-friendly Moroccan lamb meatball food dish fitted for your low-carb lifestyle. The slow cooking of the meatballs allows the flavors to meld beautifully, creating a fragrant, hearty keto meal. The star of the Kefta Tagine dish is lamb, symbolizing the richness of Moroccan hospitality. Lamb meat has been a staple in North African cuisine for centuries, with lamb being central to celebrations and religious festivals.  Ground lamb meat is spiced and shaped into small balls, known as kefta, a preparation that dates back to ancient Berber traditions.  The kefta are seasoned with cumin, paprika, and coriander, spices that have shaped Morocco’s history in the global trading of spices whi...
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What is the difference between ugali and fufu

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How to make the popular African recipes Ugali and Fufu and what is the difference.  Ugali is a starch dish in Kenya and Tanzania made of fine cornmeal cooked in boiling water into a soft dough. Fufu is a thick, dough-like West African food made by boiling then pounding a starchy vegetable such as yam, plantain, or cassava or a mixture of starchy vegetables. The main difference between fufu and ugali is fufu is boiled first then pounded while ugali is simply boiled. Ugali recipe. Easy Ugali Recipe Prep time 5 minutes Cook time 30 minutes Total time 30 minutes Ingredients 4 cups finely ground cornmeal 8 cups water Directions Heat water to boiling in a saucepan. Slowly pour cornmeal into boiling water stirring continuously. Add more cornmeal if necessary until it is thick as soft bread dough. Serve immediately with vegetables, stew, or any dish you would use a spoon with to soak up the sauce, ugali is purposely bland tasting on its own. What is the difference between ugali ...
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