Do you know what the diet of a Syrian refugee looks like?
If your first thought was “no” or if you’re uncertain, there are no judgements here.
I hadn’t the faintest idea until several days ago when I had the pleasure of being educated on the matter by Alastair Moon, a community pharmacist.
Originally from Perth but now residing in Aberdeen, the 26-year-old undertook an eating challenge from Sunday, June 19 to Saturday, June 25 focusing on this diet.
But what was the challenge exactly?
The Ration Challenge
The challenge that Alastair took on is known as the Ration Challenge.
It involved him eating the rations of a Syrian refugee in a camp for a full week, such as small amounts of rice, beans, flour, oil, lentils, chickpeas and more.
The exact measurements and the foods consumed are:
- 420g rice
- 170g lentils
- 85g chickpeas
- 120g tinned sardines
- 400g tinned kidney beans
- 220ml vegetable oil
- 1.5kg rice
- 400g flour
He could also only drink plain water.
However, Alastair could earn ‘reward rations’ – additional food items – by reaching certain points of his fundraising target to motivate him throughout the journey and to raise more cash.
For example, 210ml of milk is awarded when £150 is reached.
“Reward rations are a single spice, unlimited salt, 210ml milk, 170g of a single vegetable, 120g of a single protein, 400g tinned tomatoes and a single 300ml drink of the participants’ choice,” he added.
“These are unlocked by self-sponsorship or reaching donation levels ranging between £150 and £850.
“A tea bag can also be gained by asking five people directly for sponsorship up to a max of 10 teabags.
“These ‘rewards’ are meant to represent extras refugees may pick up with small amounts of money they can earn through work schemes when they are available.”
The target
Alastair’s initial fundraising target was £750 which was reached on Friday, June 17 – two days before his challenge even started.
He quickly increased the target to £1,000 but, again, it was met fairly quickly.
The final fundraising target was set at £1,750.
Alastair raised a total of £1,701.98 three days after the challenge concluded. However, this figure continues to rise.
He said: “The challenge is run by the charity Concern Worldwide and the money raised is used to provide vital emergency food, healthcare and support to refugees worldwide.
“This includes those in Ukraine and Syria, as well as Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Myanmar.”
A foodie at heart
The pharmacist says he has “never really” considered himself a foodie.
However, he went on to add: “Anyone that knows me knows I struggle to hold a conversation without talking about food and my last or my next meal, whether that’s eating out or at home.
“So, I suppose I am a bit of a foodie.”
Alastair enjoys cooking and heading out for food and drink, and is always on the lookout for the next new hospitality venue opening in Aberdeen.
“I try to make sure I visit as soon as possible.”
Some of his favourite food spots in the city include Taste of Hong Kong, Siam Cottage, Poldino’s Ristorante and Pizzeria, and Aberdam.
In terms of his regular diet, Alastair either often skips breakfast or opts for an apple.
This is followed by a snack at around 11am, a meal at lunchtime, a snack on his way home from work and, finally, a meal at around 7.30pm.
He sometimes grazes up until heading to sleep, too.
Was it a struggle?
Alastair decided not to take time off work throughout the challenge as it would offer a welcome distraction.
His entire journey was documented on his Instagram page to give people a better insight into the portion sizes he was consuming.
He said: “Working was definitely a distraction. It was tough at points but all my colleagues were amazingly supportive.”
Initially, he found the lack of snacking a struggle and suffered from headaches due to caffeine/sugar withdrawal.
As time went on, he suffered from a lack of energy and slight “brain fog” by the end of the day.
“The food provided is generally super bland but I enjoyed the challenge of sitting down and thinking about how I might make the most out of the limited ingredients I have and how to squeeze the most flavour out of them,” Alastair added.
“I’m also really loving how many people are getting in touch to show their support for the challenge – not just their support for me, but the resounding message is that people want to help refugees in crisis wherever and however they can.
“The biggest benefit of a challenge like the Ration Challenge is the awareness it raises for the cause.
“I think seeing someone they know live off these rations is bringing a certain realness to the situation that seems to resonate.
“I do think it’s important though to recognise that I am only doing this for a week. For the refugees it’s a very different situation, they have no end date and have also lost their homes, their livelihood and often loved ones as well.”
To donate, visit www.rationchallenge.org.uk/alastair-moon
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