As part of its skills training center, the Love One Another Campaign –Sierra Leone (LOAC-SL)-has opened its newly-constructed state-of-the-art bakery in Petifu Walla, Gbainty Section, Lokomasama Chiefdom, Port Loko District at a well-attended ceremony graced by the representative of the Paramount Chief, the Management Committee and members of the community.
Sponsored by BINGO Umweltstiftung Niedersachsen, through the Sierra Leone Union in Gottingen, Germany, the building project commenced in early April 2022 and was completed in October of the same year.
However, the stocking of the bakery with machineries, tools, baking equipment and baking materials were unavailable to start production that brought the project to a halt for the entire 2023 but due to the commitment of the board and staff of the LOAC-SL funds were sought elsewhere to complete the bakery.
Dr. Christian Bell, Founder and Executive Director of LOAC-Sierra Leone informed this medium in an exclusive interview that some of the challenges highlighted during the implementation of the project include deflation of the local currency, the Leone, high cost of transporting materials as well as increase in the cost of building and other materials, the reason they secured a loan to procure the remaining items, especially the flour mixing machine which consist of a power engine and a locally built grinder valued at a thousand dollars, for the bakery to commence operations.
He further informed that they also bought a mixing tub, a long table, rakes, paddles, pans, flour and other ingredients to bake and that a two-day training session organized by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) was conducted for five participants from Lokomasama for the success and sustainability of the project.
According to Dr. Christian Bell, the Management Committee successfully carried out a baking operational test production on 2nd May this year and that as a sign of appreciation, the plaque donated by BINGO was installed on the top of the main building of the wall as a sign of appreciation to the sponsors at a well-attended ceremony by major stakeholders including the representative of the Paramount Chief, the Management Committee and members of the community.
The bakery component is now incorporated as a skills training department for the training of youths in various modules in baking like flower mixing, moiling, scaling, sizing, packing and packaging, distribution, sales, deliveries, oven timing, wood firing setting, machine operations and maintenance among others.
According to the founder and Executive Officer of LOAC, the Management Committee held fruitful discussions with heads of hotels, restaurants and mining companies for the supply of quality bread that would soon commence after the agreements would have been signed that includes prompt deliveries, packaging, handling and quality bread production.
According to credible sources in the community, the Agape Bakery passed the initial test successfully and has now been accredited and approved based on the standard quality of the sample breads supplied to the management of the canteen operated by the mining company in Pepel.
Furthermore, the bakery project has now created job opportunities for more youths within and from other communities such as bakery operators, bread/’fryfry’/coffee and wood cutters/sellers, security guards and leaners as a reliable source of income for them and their families. Also, the bakery has created skills training in different types of cake, rice breads and stimulated trading activities for the youths and middle-aged women in particular.
It has also given a source of income and additional sales opportunities to traders in bread/cake flour and other business people selling components usually added to the processing of both bread production and even cake producers for various businesses.
However, to consolidate the gains made so far, there are key challenges that need to be addressed promptly to prevent an unexpected breakdown in the production process. These include the routine maintenance for the two component machines every three months, the safety and maintenance kits, timely delivery of the finished products- either van, tricycle or motorbike, bread boxes for packing and brand printed plastics for best quality packaging as well as first aid kits.
Also, other challenges are uniforms for the bakery operators and the bread sellers, at least three megaphones for local advertisements, rehabilitation of the water well to improve the water system, security door and the security kits, possible change (every four months) of the affected roof zinc across the oven mainly due to the severe heat, standby oven maintenance materials like clay blocks, oven doors, iron, sand and cement.
LOAC-SL is kindly appealing to external and interested donors to donate these materials for the sustainability of the project as at the moment, proceeds from the bakery are used to refund the loan secured by LOAC-SL to avoid any legal implications as the community people and the Management Committee have pledged to fully comply and make the 100% refund of the cost involved in the loan process of the project.
