A local community project has stomped, stepped and sung their way to success with a series of concerts, raising more than R34 000 towards the R250 000 needed to help residents of Extension 9 bake their way to change.
A local community project has stomped, stepped and sung their way to success with a series of concerts, raising more than R34 000 towards the R250 000 needed to help residents of Extension 9 bake their way to change.
The Jabez Aids Health Centre aims to build what will be the only bakery in the area and train community members to run it. To do this they plan to build a low-cost building that will house a self-sustaining bakery to fund their second project on the same property – an old-age home.
As bread is the second most important supplier of energy in the South African diet after maize products, the bakery is intended to create a steady revenue stream.
Jabez manager Goodwill Featherstone explained the project to Grocott's Mail.
“One of the purposes is food security; Grahamstown East is an impoverished area with lots of orphans, vulnerable children, hunger, and no work,” he said. “We hope we can sell the bread for cheaper, and we will give away left-overs.”
It is estimated that South Africa has more than 600 in-store bakeries in major supermarket groups, while there are more than 250 franchise bakeries, and more than 4 500 small, independent bakeries.
Surveys have shown that baked products are available in 97% of all food stores and cafés in the country. They believe the proposed bakery is a feasible business choice, since the area does not have a bakery, and there will always be a demand for bread. However, there are challenges.
“In the location what’s happening is it seems one group is controlling all the Spaza shops, so the majority of shops source bread from one place,” Featherstone said.
Jabez plans to go to the shops and schools in the area and try to convince people to support them. As for the hungry who can't afford to buy from them, Featherstone said the bakery would give away left-over bread.
Jabez's research shows that they require only a small building to start the bakery. They have already been given a plot of land by the Makana municipality. The R250 000 target is to cover building costs. Once they have raised the money, and shown their commitment, more funding and assistance will become available.
“We have engaged with Noncedo bakery in Johannesburg. They have suggested if we have a building, they will come and assist us with equipment, training, and market research,” Featherstone said.
There are currently no compulsory qualifications to run or own a bakery. Noncedo bakery and Oatlands bakery in Grahamstown will assist the project with health and safety regulations. They are looking to employ eight people, including a manager.
“We are looking for people with commitment, passion, and dedication. They will have to be volunteers who will initially receive a stipend until such time that the bakery can offer full employment,” Featherstone said.
Ikhaya Theatre Company, people associated with Jabez and other young talent have been performing programmes of choral works, gumboot dancing, hip hop, poetry, pantsula, and a drama about HIV and Aids. The project has raised more than R34 000 through concert ticket sales. The last performance in the series was this past Saturday in Tantyi Hall.
Jabez is a home-based care service and drop-in centre providing nutritious meals, education awareness and HIV and Aids treatment literacy. Their community involvement includes an after-school programme assisted by Rhodes students, where children do homework and receive nutritious meals in a safe environment. Two of their HIV programmes are run daily, and people are taught about using anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment. Guardians and parents of children who have HIV or who have lost their parents to Aids are taught how to deal with the various challenges facing them, health-wise, economically, and socially.
