Local mom stirs up a cookbook for her adopted son’s orphanage

By Angela Scappatura –

Nicole Nel-Maynard decided to adopt a little boy from South Africa in Sept. 2005 and now, with contributions from family members other adoptive parents, she has released a cookbook to raise funds for the home where her son was first cared for.

The cookbook, titled “Mnandi: Zulu for Delicious!” contains recipes donated by families in Canada and South Africa as well as photographs of the adopted children taken by her cousin Curtis Nel.

Nel-Maynard says that the children are not described as adopted, “We just say that they are our children.”

Nel-Maynard, a St. Lawrence Neighbourhood resident, says it was clear to her at the age of 12 that adoption was important, “I’ve always known this was the way I wanted to build my family.”

When South Africa began allowing adoptions in 2003 she knew it was the right place. “I have family there and I was confident that I could educate my child on African heritage.”

The idea of a cookbook emerged from a discussion between Nel-Maynard and fellow adoptive parent, Christine Eisses. Both women adopted from the eSimphiwe Transitional Home around the same time and their children slept in cribs beside each other.

Eisses founded a non-profit organization named Emmanuel’s Wish Foundation aimed at raising funds to support care for orphaned children and the cookbook is a co-ordinative effort to assist eSimphiwe in its development.

There are 13 families in Canada, all from Ontario, who have adopted children from South Africa. Toronto is home to the only organization that facilitates adoptions from South Africa and as a result, Maynard says, the community has developed close ties.

Mnandi: Zulu for Delicious! can be ordered online through www.mnandi.ca with 100% of the profits donated to the eSimphiwe Transitional Home for Orphaned, Abandoned and Abused Children in South Africa.

Editor’s note (2020): Nicole’s son’s name has been removed from the article at her request.