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Registered Charity 1114531

We went on holiday to Ifakara in 1998 when we were asked for help to build the first bakery in a small town some 250 miles (400 km) SW of Dar es Salaam. The main reason was to ensure food all the year round even when they had a poor harvest.

See: Introduction to Tanzania and First Visit 1998

  We made a business plan which showed that this could be a viable proposition but there was absolutely no money at all and we had to raise £30,000. This covered the cost of all the machinery and equipment as well as transport, Customs clearing and installation. The goods were shipped in 2001.

See: Requirements and Fundraising  

Later that year we returned to Ifakara where in the meantime the premises were altered to our plans and we were able to install and commission all machines. We trained staff in the art of making bread and 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 TZShillings 250 (£0.17). Bread was produced daily and the bakery was soon making a profit with which more seeds were bought and thus increased the food in that area. Today the bakery produces over 900 loaves of bread daily.

See: The Bakery - Commissioning - Training - First Batch

As the bakery was self-funding and profitable we created the "Free Bread Funds" as there were many people who could not afford the 17pence on a regular basis. 60 loaves of bread reach the St. Francis District Hospital as it is not their duty to feed its patients who rely entirely on the food being brought by relatives. "Free Bread" now also daily reaches the children of the Bethlehem Centre, the leprosy people in the Nazareti Centre, the local Orphanage and the Idete Kindergarten. To maintain the Free Bread Funds we have to raise £18,000 this year. See: Bread Funds