19/02/2026
Slopes & Saucepans
The Maya Initiative's Tartu Home ski weekend
On February 6th, children of the Tartu Christian Youth Home (Tartu Kristlik Noortekodu) arrived at the Sokka Guesthouse in Southern Estonia with a team from the Maya Initiative. The group settled in and then hit the sauna. As with most Maya events, the children did the cooking (under supervision to prevent the juggling of 8-inch kitchen knives) and this time they prepared a pot of chilli con carne.
This classic dish was proudly compiled for the Maya Cookbook and it reflects the core aim of the Maya Initiative: to empower children by providing them with essential life skills and education through the medium of food and culinary arts. Through planning, preparing, and cooking together, the children not only learn recipes, but also develop responsibility, teamwork, confidence, and independence that will support them far beyond the kitchen.
After a sausage breakfast the next morning, which they also cooked, the kids hit the slopes of Kuutsemäe. The temperature was 10 below zero, but that's nothing for veterans of Slopes & Saucepans, which combines outdoor adventure with practical life skills, teamwork, and shared meals.
We wish to offer special thanks to the Oak Lounge who made the event possible, and to the Children of Maya who so enthusiastically took part.
