Migrateful said it recognises some people may have mixed hopes and fears towards integration and immigration, but the organisation wants to engage with these emotions and challenge misconceptions and prejudice.
Its method is based on psychologist Gordon Allport’s “contact theory”.
He claimed contact between refugees and host communities can successfully reduce prejudice towards refugees.
Since its inception, back in 2017 in London, the charity has run more than 5,000 cookery classes to about 62,000 different participants.
One member has been able to set up her own Syrian food catering company, which employs Syrian refugees.
During training the charity helps trainees to share their own personal stories to an audience.
Alexander tells stories that “shaped her” as a child while growing up in Trinidad and Tobago.
She said it is her way to “give back to the culture, with dignity”.