MOTIVATION FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF THE BAKERY

With the advent of the New Democratic South Africa, the need arose for transformation from an elitist, repressive white-dominated society to a society where everybody would enjoy equality before the law with his rights to freedom of speech, of association etc. entrenched in the constitution.  It was essential that the process of transformation be set in motion with the minimum of delay.  A stumbling-block to this goal, however, is the twin problem of massive illiteracy and escalating unemployment, each sector helping to perpetuate the other.  BALCO decided to tackle the first problem via Adult Learning Centres dispensing ABET instruction; the problem of unemployment was addressed through the “Reach-Out” Bakery.

We have started a learnership course at the bakery where unemployed young people are taught how to bake bread.Most of the learners are women from the Nodal Poverty Alleviation areas.

 Admittedly the bakery is not out of the woods yet and there is much to be done still.  We have learnt a great deal over the past two years.   We have been very fortunate in securing the services of a lady who  is vastly experienced in the practice of baking and is assertive and firm in her dealings with the bakery staff.  A major concern now is to find continuing funding to keep her.

We  have to date interviewed between twenty and thirty applicants for the bakery learnership.  We are confident that the bakery will be able to sustain not only itself but other BALCO projects as well.