We’ll live off refugee rations for whole week
Pals’ hunger challenge to raise funds
Two Stirling friends are set to take on a gruelling hunger challenge as part of efforts to raise money for a humanitarian charity.
Marisa Rosie and pal Gillian Armstrong are rationing themselves and eating only the supplies available to Syrian refugees in refugee camps in Jordan.
The challenge will raise money and awareness for the Concern UK charity, which supports emergency appeals across the globe.
Marisa told the Observer: “The charity requires funding for its work in delivering food and medical supplies to the refugees in the camps and they organise this challenge every year in September.
“The challenge is to eat exactly the same rations as a refugee would in a week - you get sponsored and then are provided with a pack of food which isn’t very much at all.
“You’ve really got to be resourceful and plan things out for the week much more than you would normally, for example using the water from boiling rice to make rice milk to drink - it’s all about being quite inventive.
“In the camps, they’ve been living on this diet for several years and I’m just doing it for a week.”
You’ve got to be resourceful, for example using the water from boiled rice to make rice milk to drink Marisa Rosie
pay for medical treatment costs because Covid-19 has become a major issue in the camps where there is little or no social distancing in place and where those there have to pay for their treatment.
“The Facebook group we’ve set up is called the Hungry Scots and it’s been about encouraging each other and offering support, both in terms of recipe ideas for the week and also the moral support aspect because we won’t have as much energy when we’re eating well below our recommended calorie intake.”