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Bake for Profit January 2014 class feedback

We celebrated the successful completion of our first term Bake For Profit course last week as 8 enthusiastic new entrepreneurs (FCD graduates) shared their business plans with a panel of FCD directors and staff. Congratulations to the students who persevered and completed the course with flying colours (and money in their bank accounts).

The Bake for Profit course is an intense 8 week course, with students attending practical training once a week, and nurturing through life skills, discipleship and business skills training on another day of the week. The business skills and practical training then need to be applied during the rest of the week, with students needing to produce evidence of goods baked and sold on attendance of the following session. In this way, students are effectively encouraged to start their mini-businesses during week 1 of training. A model followed to ensure that the values, attitudes and skills required for successful entrepreneurship are achieved within the 8 week period.

Students graduate from the course feeling empowered and confident that they are now able to make a difference in their lives and in the community.

Trudie Links commented ‘Ek is ‘n nuwe mens. Ek is self-versekerd en die opleiding het my lewe hand-om-keer verander.” Widowed  late in 2013, Trudie was left feeling lonely and desperate. Participating in the training has given her a new lease on life as she’s developed friendships, learned new skills and grown in confidence – with her baking and in her relationships. She’s now highly motivated as she sees her business growing week by week.

Elizabeth Heugh says that she discovered her inner strength and that “I changed so much in managing my money matters and my life in general. My relationships with friends and family have also improved.” Elizabeth is proud of what she has achieved during this course and has proven herself to be a formidable sales person.  As she says: “my prys is my prys! As ek R20 vir ‘n cupcake vra, sal ek dit kry – maar dis mos daylight robbery!”  Her goal is to grow her business by employing and training other unemployed women.

The strong bonds built during the course have also enabled students to support each other and come up with solutions for common challenges – like Ellenoare Jacobs from Klapmuts recently did with a younger and a lot shyer Lwandisa Zono from Bellville. Together they’re successfully exploring new markets.

Students participated in an FCD promotional day at a local church “plaasfees”- selling their baked cookies to raise awareness for FCD and practice their sales skills.

They also had an opportunity to appear on Kyknet’s Dagbreek’s programme.

An important aspect of the Bake for Profit course is providing graduates with ongoing encouragement and mentorship. Trainer, Elaine du Toit, was pleased to launch the mentorship programme with a visit to Tessa’s Bakery during May.

We wish these Bake for Profit graduates well as they continue growing their businesses from producing a basic daily income to a level where they are able to comfortably provide for their families.