The head of the cooperative knows how to keep the attention of the students and speaks with knowledge and enthusiasm about the local products that her cooperative processes: preserves, pickles, jams, syrups, herbs and many more. The young guests follow her explanations and then have the chance to taste some of the products as a morning snack.

We are in the hills in the south of Lebanon, in the premises of the Al-Imad cooperative and the schoolchildren are some of the participants in the programme on healthy nutrition implemented by this project.

This is one of the first classes visiting food processing cooperatives in the area and this activity will continue during next school year, including other food sectors such as dairy products and olive oil. This activity complements the workshops organized by Les Amis des Marionnettes (see news below), bringing the students who previously participated in the show to discover healthy natural products in their own area.

After the morning snack, the visit goes on, moving to next location. Here the students curiously look at the protective garments and the tools of the beekeeper showing them a beehive and how to collect honey from it. Under the gaze of their teachers, they ask many questions that our expert is happy to answer. Before this, a short presentation about the life cycle of bees and the nutritional values of honey provided them basic information on beekeeping. The visit ends at the cooperative’s shop, where each student receives a small sample of locally produced honey.