Does Bangladesh’s MasterChef wear cravats too?

Joel Katz
Outreach Blogger
31st May 2010

Sitting in a Sydney café, bundled up in jacket and scarf, as the icy rain pelts down outside. Light flickers from my laptop’s shimmering screen – the only warmth on this drabbest of days. Locals shuffle past, musing on what shade of pink Mat Preston’s pants will be tonight on MasterChef, and if they’ll match his cravat.

Hmm… food for thought, and really does help us through these dreary winter days.

But wait. Suddenly it hits me with the force of a rapidly descending mini-grand piano landing on my head that Sharna and I will be in face-meltingly hot Dhaka in a matter of days.  Our realities will be up-ended, like a flipped Chapati frying in a Bangladeshi street stall.

Colour and humanity will replace grey skies and empty streets. Vibrant salwar kameez instead of grey hoodies and beanies.

Probably won’t really sink in until our taxi driver’s weaving through the infamous Dhaka traffic towards our hotel – the sights, sounds and smells frizzling our synapses.

But as our departure flight gets close, I’m starting to get a real feel for Project TOTO Bangladesh, and what we’re working towards. We’ve got some friendly emails from Actionaid Bangladesh, and it’s all very exciting.

With Sharna south of the border in Adelaide, and me in Sydney, huddling over my toasty-warm computer, we’ve been busy finessing the training guide so we’re ready to go when we kick-off the training sessions next week.

Here’s a snapshot of what we’re doing.

Our itinerary’s jam-packed, but thankfully our first day’s free. So me and Sharna are going to dive head-first in Dhaka’s bustling markets and snap up some light cotton outfits to combat the heat. I’m sure Sharna will wax lyrical about these bazaar adventures, so I won’t harp on. Sure – I adore the market ambience, but I’m really indecisive when buying stuff. Drives my girlfriend batty!

So, Sharna, get ready for some serious whinging and whining – Is this the right colour? It’s too baggy, right? What about the blue one at that stall? Wait, didn’t we see a stripy one about an hour ago, in that direction (hands wave around randomly in air)?

Our training starts on the Monday. Initially we’ll help the Actionaid Bangladesh staff polish-up their skills on writing and maintaining blogs, and uploading images and video. First off, they’ll be posting for an Aussie audience so they can tell us about their amazing projects, their successes and challenges, and future plans.

The second week we’ll be heading into the DAs or development areas – some of Dhaka’s poorest districts. Here we’ll work with Actionaid Bangladesh and their partners’ to train-up locals on using social media, to share their stories with the world.

Also we’ll talk about how blogs and other digital tools can connect them with a global audience. This way they can set-up online workshops brainstorming the best approaches and programs that engage their community, leading to real change and an improved quality of life.

Follow our adventures through our daily blogs, as we weave through Dhaka’s teeming streets, make great friends, experience the rough-and-tumble slums, learn about skills-building  community programs being run by Actionaid Bangladesh, and introduce locals to the digital tools that hopefully will give them a better chance for the future.

You can also find out how you can help out with these amazing projects.

And as far as the Bangladeshi MasterChef –it doesn’t exist. But there is a Bangladesh Pop Idol, and rumour has it that the big moustachioed host often sports candy-cane pants and a matching cravat.

Image from http://randomhouseaustralia.wordpress.com/2009/12/09/some-thoughts-for-thursday-by-matt-preston/