Bakery launched in Soweto

The campaign is an initiative of Golden Clouds and Hope Worldwide and aims to develop a sustainable enterprise that will empower women with baking and business skills. To date, Golden Cloud has raised R1 million that will all go towards the project.

“Aptitude for baking”

“The 21 women were selected on their aptitude for baking and their willingness to acquire new skills. Our objectives were very clear from the beginning before we started interviewing the candidates; we knew that we were looking for women who were passionate about baking and who were already baking or selling at a lower level,” says Fikile Ntuli, regional manager for Gauteng Hope Worldwide.

“Our plans are to make sure that the women selected are empowered to run their own fully-fledged bakery, and in so doing, provide a sustainable income for themselves and their families.

“The women were taught baking and business skills that will allow them to not only produce a quality product that they can sell in their communities, but also to operate and manage a bakery business in a sustainable and profitable manner.”

Accredited certificates

The graduates received accredited certificates in food safety, basic baking and advanced bakery management services, as well as basic business skills. They will be mentored by their trainers, Hope Worldwide and Golden Cloud team for a year. “After this time business must be generating a sustainable income, and then ownership of the company will be entrusted to them,” says Tiger Brands' senior manager Bongi Mooko.

Hope Worldwide is a recognised non-profit non-governmental organisation that runs community-based developmental programmes targeted at adults and children. For more information, go to www.hopeww.org.