We Are Home, a children’s book by The Co-op.
Objective
In 2021, Food Next Door (FND) partnered with Regenerative Communities to evaluate the well-being impacts of farming on new migrants from Africa. This resulted in the insightful "I Am Home" report. Through a series of intimate interviews, FND farmers defined well-being in their own words, inviting researchers into their homes to share food, laughter, and stories. A key theme emerged: the deep desire to continue cultural traditions by sharing food and farming knowledge with their children. The "I Am Home" report beautifully illustrates how farming not only sustains families but also nurtures cultural heritage and fosters a sense of community among new migrants. To create a children's book that celebrates the migration and settlement experiences of Burundian and Congolese communities in Mildura, reflecting their languages and cultural richness.
In 2021, Food Next Door (FND) partnered with Regenerative Communities to evaluate the well-being impacts of farming on new migrants from Africa. This resulted in the insightful "I Am Home" report. Through a series of intimate interviews, FND farmers defined well-being in their own words, inviting researchers into their homes to share food, laughter, and stories. A key theme emerged: the deep desire to continue cultural traditions by sharing food and farming knowledge with their children. The "I Am Home" report beautifully illustrates how farming not only sustains families but also nurtures cultural heritage and fosters a sense of community among new migrants. To create a children's book that celebrates the migration and settlement experiences of Burundian and Congolese communities in Mildura, reflecting their languages and cultural richness.
Challenge
Capturing and portraying the diverse themes brainstormed by the Food Next Door Co-op community, while ensuring the book authentically represents the voices and experiences of the children and families involved.
Capturing and portraying the diverse themes brainstormed by the Food Next Door Co-op community, while ensuring the book authentically represents the voices and experiences of the children and families involved.
Result
"We Are Home" emerged as a collective authorship project, written in Kirundi, Swahili, and English. Children from the co-op contributed through arts and crafts workshops, illustrating their families' heartwarming arrival stories and their shared love for farming. Food Next Door Co-op runs a school holiday program to integrate the families of new arrivals into the broader Mildura community. Proceeds from the book will support the expansion and sustainability of the school holiday activities. All children and volunteers are welcome to join in.
"We Are Home" emerged as a collective authorship project, written in Kirundi, Swahili, and English. Children from the co-op contributed through arts and crafts workshops, illustrating their families' heartwarming arrival stories and their shared love for farming. Food Next Door Co-op runs a school holiday program to integrate the families of new arrivals into the broader Mildura community. Proceeds from the book will support the expansion and sustainability of the school holiday activities. All children and volunteers are welcome to join in.
Impact
The book serves as a cultural bridge, highlighting the thriving agricultural region of
Mallee as a welcoming home for new arrivals. Available in multiple languages, it
supports language acquisition for adults and offers a resource for cultural
understanding. Real-life characters in the book inspire readers with their
achievements, while proceeds contribute to expanding and sustaining the school
holiday program at Food Next Door Co-op, fostering integration and community
engagement in Mildura.
