On Sunday June 26th the CLC hosted an all-day cooking class for women in difficult economic positions. The CLC donated the facilities and equipment, our wonderful chef Khadija donated her time, and the ingredients were bought by an outside anonymous donor. The goal of this cooking class is to help the women learn dishes that they can make not only for their families, but eventually for special occasions such as weddings. Cooking can be a very marketable skill, and our goal is to empower these women by helping them acquire some of these skills. 5 women participated, 3 of whom are illiterate. They learned Moroccan Bastila, the famous dish with almonds and chicken wrapped in phylo dough. They also learned to make Fruit Tarts.
The day was wonderful, with a genuine feeling of sisterhood. Chef Khadija shared many of cooking tips and secrets, but most of all she made all the participants feel at home with her joking and infectious good humor. The women did not only learn how to make new dishes, but they got a sense of what kind of personality and self-confidence it takes to be a cook, how to plan, how to deal with clients, how to calculate costs and profits etc.
Here are just a few pictures from the training:
The students are shredding chicken for the Bastila:
Chef Khadija is not only a great cook but and excellent teacher and mentor:
Fruit Tarts, of patisserie quality, at a fraction of the cost:
Participants with the Bastila, which was eaten for lunch:
"American and Moroccan teachers with years of experience and the latest methodologies contribute to making CLC the best place to study English and improve your communication skills!" 
" I spent my summer … studying Arabic (at the CLC) and I could not have imagined being anywhere else! .. From the students, the staff, and all others involved, it is such a special place that truly transcends what we think of as a "school." Thanks to all my wonderful instructors and friends who helped make my experience one that I will always remember."