Cooking For Freedom

An ongoing collaborative project. Cooking for Freedom is a group of passionate refugees in Direct Provision hostels in Ireland. Frustrated by the lack of culinary autonomy and limited to canteen food, they came together to reclaim their right to cook for themselves and their families. Led by Mavis Ramazani and a few others, they founded the group and started preparing nutritious meals, distributing them in different locations. Cooking for Freedom's mission is not just about feeding bodies but nurturing a sense of community and purpose through shared cooking experiences. Their dedication brings hope and unity to their fellow residents in the hostels.

Thank you to Mavis for the direction!

Illustration of various vegetables and fish with the text, 'I want to be transferred anywhere so I can cook and feed my kids.'
An illustrated collage of various cooked foods including a salad, bread, steak, mushrooms, tomato, and pasta, set against a pink checkered background. Text overlay says, "The food we cooked last time our accommodation managers threw it away."

Concept Sketches

For the first idea, I wanted to include illustrations of basic food items that should be considered essential and almost guaranteed when it comes to accessing food in these conditions. These can be depicted in vibrant and eye-catching colors to initially attract viewers. However, when they read the distressing excerpt of text taken from the individual's experience layered over the image, it will create an intriguing contrast. The caption below the image, when posted on the likes of Instagram and Facebook, it will provide further details about the person's experience.

In the same vein for the second idea, it focuses more so on illustrating meals yet still captures the theme consistency.

Sketch of various vegetables including pumpkin, peppers, carrots, tomatoes, and mushrooms with the text "I want to be transferred anywhere so I can cook and feed my kids."
Sketch of a food table with pizza, a bread loaf, a fork, a spoon, and some vegetables, with handwritten notes about the food and management.