Turmeric Spinach is scientifically referred to as Spinacia oleracea. It is a member of the Amaranthaceae family and it is definitely one of the most popular green, leafy vegetables with a rich source of minerals, vitamins and phytonutrients. Spinach can be eaten raw as salads or cooked.  It rightly deserves its reputation as an extremely […]

Father Antonio La Braca is an Italian Comboni missionary. He first left for Africa in 1972 and has been carrying out his missionary ministry there ever since. He has worked primarily in Uganda and South Sudan, where he still lives. This year, he celebrates the 60th anniversary of his priestly ordination. We had the pleasure

The discrimination faced by Central African girls compared to boys in access to education led to the founding of Sainte Monique College in Mbata, run by the Dominican Missionaries of Africa. We visited the College. As we reached Mbata, in the province of Lobaye, in the south of the Central African Republic, Sainte Monique College

Africa is home to many important medicinal plants. One such plant is Aerva lanata, which has been used for many medical conditions since time immemorial. This strangling herb or undershrub can grow to a height of 90 cm. It has a hairy stem, a long taproot and many woolly branches. The leaves are ovate to

Kazakhstan, a Central Asian country characterised by vast expanses of steppe, was the cradle of ancient civilisations and an important meeting point between East and West. It is therefore a veritable museum of human history. The oldest evidence of human presence in Kazakhstan dates back 35,000 years. These findings were found at a unique Palaeolithic

An African pastoral care worker’s primary mission is to tell people of African descent that God loves them in a context of social coexistence where violence, mistreatment, discrimination in all spheres, injustice in all its forms, and the invisibility of their being… are daily bread for them, their families, and their communities. This mission requires

The festival of La Tirana, in Chile, celebrates the Christian faith – invoking the Virgin of Carmel – and recalls a colonial-era legend of love and faith, centred on a young Inca warrior and a Portuguese man. The festivities combine Catholic religious elements and Andean cultural traditions. The small Chilean village of La Tirana, at

Harissa, a spicy sauce Today we’re sharing the recipe for a spicy and flavourful sauce: harissa. Originally from Tunisia, this paste is a must-have ingredient in North African cuisine. Made with dried chili peppers, spices, and lemon, you only need a small amount (be careful with the heat!) to season and enhance a variety of

It is a plant used as a medicine for several therapeutic treatments. The leaf decoction is dropped into the ears to treat earache and infections. The paste made from powdered leaves is applied for skin infections. In some communities leaves are cooked as a vegetable. Acalypha indica (Euphorbiaceae Family) is an erect, often simple-stemmed annual