HOW it all began …
The story:
Margaret and Eugene Schellenberg went on holiday to Ifakara, Tanzania in 1998 when they were asked for help to build the first bakery in a small town some 250 miles (400 km) SW of Dar es Salaam. Their inspiration came from the Sisters of St. Francis who had a vision to run a bakery. They wanted to provide a staple food year round to the local population especially when the harvest fails.
After conducting market research and making a business plan, they decided the project was viable. Even without help from major charities, they were initially able to raise £30,000 which was necessary to buy all the machinery, oven and equipment, including a generator. The donations also paid for the transport, clearing charges, and installation costs.
They traveled back to Ifakara for the installation of the equipment and taught the sisters the art of bread making.
The first production consisted of 20 small and 10 large loaves. The news of fresh bread being available in Ifakara quickly spread and soon we needed to produce 100 loaves a day. The small loaf was sold at TZS 250 (£0.17). Bread was produced daily and the bakery was soon making a profit which was put back into local projects increasing food production in that area. Today the bakery produces over 900 loaves of bread daily.
As the bakery was self-funding and profitable we created the "Bakery Fund for Free Bread" as there were many people who could not afford the 17 pence on a regular basis. Free loaves of bread are given to the St. Francis Hospital as patients rely entirely on the food being brought by relatives. Free bread is also sent daily to the children of the Bethlehem Centre, the residents of the the Nazareti Leprosy Centre, the local Orphanage and the Idete Kindergarten.
It takes £30,000 every year to maintain the Bakery Fund.
The sisters don’t waste anything.
This blue shipping container was used to ship all the bakery equipment. now it is used as their store front bakery in Ifakara.
see the bakery
Check out these videos of the bakery, the bakery team, and the store.
Tour of the store.
Tour of the bakery.
Meet the baking team.