Using the Business of Baking to Power the Church
“Why a bakery?”
Machakos, Eastern Kenya
Soon this space will hold two ovens and a bread slicer. Then the church will be in the business of selling bread to area schools and communities.
In Eastern Kenya, a new bakery is being built by the Anglican Church. This bakery will serve three dioceses by selling a new type of bread, one that is highly nutritious and made with crops farmers are now planting.
Church operated businesses benefit a community in several ways. So why a bakery?
By creating a market for amaranth and sweet potato flour, three thousand small-scale farmers from the counties of Machakos, Makueni, and Kitui will have a market for their crops. That is a lot of farmers who will benefit from the income. They will be able to provide education and better healthcare for their families. Students at local schools, expected to be a strong market for the bakery, will benefit from this nutritious bread.
The capital costs for this bakery are part of a new grant from ARDF. Part of that grant is a loan that will be paid back into a fund that will be used for future community development projects in Kenya. The goal is for the Anglican Church in Kenya to become self-sustaining through income generating businesses like this one.
Like many of ARDF’s community development projects, this project will not work without electricity. A large generator has been sourced and housed on site, even before the first ovens arrive. Even in agrarian communities, reliable power allows markets to grow.
Communities rely on power and so do families. In this era, it is impossible to thrive without light in the mornings and evenings. Children get ready to go to school and then must study at night. Parents must prepare meals and complete household chores.
ARDF sees the benefit of power both at the community and individual level. And this Lent, we are focusing on this basic need.
Many families without electricity will burn wood or use kerosene lamps, creating a fire hazard as they light their home. However, when families have access to safe light, kids can excel at school, parents can safely do household chores at night, and reduce the dangers of walking in the dark. If you live in a place without access to electricity, the XTorch is the perfect solution.
ARDF is taking donations for XTorches. They will go to churches overseas who will sell them to members of the community at a price they can afford. The church uses any surplus they receive to reinvest into their community. Families now have clean water or a source of light! At the same time, they have helped to fund projects within their own communities implemented by the local church.
What is an XTorch?
The XTorch is a solar powered, incredibly durable solution to replace battery operated flashlights and cellphone back-up chargers. It provides light for 20-48 hours and can easily charge a cellphone with its built in USB port. The XTorch has three settings: flashlight, lantern, and table reading light. Purchasing an XTorch means that families no longer have to spend money on consumable fuel or operate dangerous kerosene lamps.
Join us at ARDF by supporting families around the world by giving them access to safe and affordably light!
Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” John 8:12
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