This year Cochrane Croatia decided to do something different for its annual team-building event and took up the challenge of preparing a meal for 36 homeless people in Split.

After signing up on the ‘Oh la la’ Facebook page, initiated nine years ago by two business women in Split to cater for the homeless, members of Cochrane Croatia got together to cook up a storm. On the menu were three main meals (one veggie, one meat, one fish), three salads and three deserts. The main cooks were Shelly Pranic, Maria Marusic, Tina Poklepovic Pericic and Irena Zakarija-Grkovic, all ably assisted by Shelly’s eight-year-old daughter, Lidija. The remaining members of Cochrane Croatia expressed their support for the homeless by covering the cost of the ingredients.

After four hours of cooking and socializing in a relaxed, informal atmosphere (Irena’s home) we set off to deliver our goods to our fellow citizens at the drop-in Centre for the homeless, where we were greeted with big, warm smiles and open arms. It was wonderful knowing that we were making a difference to the lives of those most in need.

We hope to make cooking for the homeless an annual event and look forward to many more get- togethers.

Irena Zakarija-Grković,

co-director