Support from Pick n Pay

Bakery Co-ordinator, Bongani Naholo

 A while ago, Carryou Ministry opened a bakery at the Toekomsrus Drop-in Centre to produce fresh bread for our feeding programmes and also to sell to the local community.
 Baking got underway but subsequently had to stop due to a number of obstacles that cropped up.
 Most notable were alterations to the buildings and surrounds that needed to be done to comply with municipal health regulations.
 In addition, there were power-supply issues with the oven, resulting in it not being able to be used at full capacity.

Determined

 "In the end, because we simply could not afford to sort out these challenges, we put the bakery operations on hold," says Bongani Naholo, Bakery Co-ordinator.
 "But we remained determined to get the bakery up and running again. We applied to the Pick n Pay Foundation for financial assistance and they recently approved a grant that will be used to make changes to the building.
 "The area outside, on the pavement, will be tarred to reduce dust and a roof will be erected over the loading area.
 "I addition, a bullet-proof window will be installed at the sales point and a drip-curtain will be put in.
 "We are in the process of getting quotations from suppliers and, once approved, work will begin. But because of approaching Christmas holidays, that may only happen early next year," he says.
 "When the renovations are done we plan to sell our existing oven and put the proceeds towards one that is more energy-efficient and able to bake up to 120 loaves of bread per hour.
 "Then we will be able to supply not only the nearby community but also spaza shops in the township."

And now ...we're cooking!

 Err...baking...!
 The bakery at the Toekomsrus Drop-in Centre is finally open for business and the surrounding community loves it.
 "It's been a long time coming," says Bakery Manager, Anna Mogase. "We needed to first make a number of changes to meet the requirements of the municipal health authorities but that is now all done and it's all systems go."

 All over the world, charities face an uphill struggle to raise sufficient funds to continue their work. In South Africa, charities and N.G.O.s are finding it increasingly tough, as over 15 million people rely on Government for social grants in order to survive. There just isn't enough Government money to go around.
 It was with this in mind that Carryou Ministry decided they needed to find ways to become self-sustainable and so the idea of opening and running a bakery was born.
 "It's a way of generating income and also supplying bread to our feeding projects," says Carryou General Manager, Rev. Lawrence Mabaso, "in addition it creates jobs for eight people and imparts valuable skills."

 An application for funding for the project was made to the National Development Agency who agreed to provide R350 000 (approximately US$38 000). Equipment was bought and training was set up.
 And finally the dream has become a reality and fresh, hot, bread, straight from the oven, has Toekies residents lining up to buy it.