YORKSHIRE puddings are on the menu in Malawi thanls to Barnsley lad Jason Lunn.
Jason, who grew up in Worsbrough Common, is on a six-month placement as a leader on a government volunteering programme in the African country, working with young women and girls to educate them about sexual and reproductive health.
The 35-year-old is staying in an area called the Airfield, a huge residential area built on a former airfield, in Dedza which is the highest town in Malawi. He's only been with his host family for less than a month but says it already feels like home and he's been teaching them a thing or two about Yorkshire cuisine.
Jason said: "I'm living with Solomon and Tamanda Kanjirawaya and their five-month-old son Miracle. They have been incredibly welcoming, friendly and kind and they are so keen to learn about British culture, especially the food.
"I've been showing them how to make Yorkshire puddings and they loved them. We weren't sure if we had the correct flour as they're not labelled plain or self-raising but it worked.
"They don't have kitchen scales so we had to guess amounts and the second time around the puddings reached the oven roof. But they love the taste and Tamanda said she wants to do them again and will cook them even after I've left.
Jason, a teacher who now lives in Lincolnshire, has held a lifelong ambition to visit Africa and jumped at the chance to apply to the International Citizen Service, the government's volunteering programme. ICS has partnered with the Centre for Youth Empowerment and Civic Education in Dedza to work on projects focussing on girls and young women.
Jason said: "There's lots of challenges in Malawi but in particular, girls dropping out of school due to early marriage, teenage pregnancy, HIV/AIDS and other issues such as not being able to afford school fees.
"There's also instances of bullying and gender based violence that affects their education. Our volunteers are working with schools, parents, community groups and leaders to educate girls and young women in sexual health and reproductive health."
When he returns to the UK, Jason plans to visit schools and colleges in Barnsley to speak about his trip and hopes to encourage more young people to take up the volunteering opportunity when they reach 18.
