Bakery in Kazakstan
The story so far
In 1992 Frank Payne led a group of pastors and business men to Kazakstan to encourage the local Christians and to see what help western Christians could give to an emerging nation. Out of this trip was formed Equip Trust to handle the projects which could be wholly charitable and South Kazakstan Enterprises Ltd to handle aid which involved trade.
It is recognised that if you feed someone they will come back for more but if you give them a hoe they may feed themselves. Providing employment in an ethical enterprise was attempted in many different ways. The way God blessed was the bakery which not only provided employment but a means for feeding the poor. Funds flowed in from Christians all over the country as they were needed and the equipment was assembled by willing volunteers.
Bakery starts but....
Alex and Niklaus were there to install the equipment and start the bakery in September 1995. We thought the job was done, but the problems of running a business in an economy which is collapsing are horrendous ! It took 6 months to get a licence to sell bread to the public which wrecked our cash flow. Quality and availability of ingredients, extremes of climate, staff difficulties, bureaucracy beyond belief, a culture of fraud, mistrust and deception have all caused difficulties. The worst has been the constant failure of the power supply just when we have dough ready for the ovens.... Any other team would have given up !
The present opportunity
The visit of Alex Rankin and Malcolm Crocker to Shymkent from May 10th to 20th 1997 revealed the following:- The bakery has survived the winter and is now operating better than ever. The bread quality is good, the financial situation stable, the staff morale remarkable and the prospects for growth good. The local management has proved its determination and ability and in particular Victor has proved himself as Director. An interdenominational scheme to provide 80 loaves per day to feed the poorest people in the city has been started with foreign funds and as this is proved over the next month or so can form the basis for Christian love for the poorest this Winter. Since this visit they have once again had problems with the bread quality. Some spares for the equipment have been sent and measuring equipment to improve control of the dough. Even so they very much need Niklaus to show them how to keep the quality high through changing conditions. We have now been able to provide a generator through the generosity of the people of Kilsyth Congregational Church and others so the bakery has a fresh start. The light of the Lord's love is shining, the poorest are being fed, keep praying that He will have the glory as many more will be fed.
Questions I am often asked
Is there a need for a bakery ?
A bakery is one good way to show Christian love. It is a distinctive way to provide food for the very poorest people, which at the same time gives employment, and shows the honest business can succeed in a dishonest and collapsing society. It gives the opportunity for Christian principles to be tested in tough conditions. Bread has a strong symbolic meaning in Christian culture and in Mid-asia, it speaks of hospitality, love and sharing.
Is God blessing the bakery ?
God seems to have chosen to bless the bakery project by:-
Are the people really suffering compared with what we see on TV ?
Television shows dramatic suffering in war zones or disasters and the funds roll in. Suffering in Shymkent is deprivation behind closed doors. When the churches or local authorities take us to visit the needy it is clear that many of the poorest will die this Winter of cold and starvation. Children who are not seen at school because they have no clothes. Single mothers who have worked for as much as two years without pay and will do anything to feed their families. Disabled treated as incapable and kept in hospital. A country too busy surviving in an enterprise society to meet the need.
How do you know the aid reaches the right place ?
We try very hard to work with people who want to meet the need of the poorest We are building good relationships with the churches and with the city agencies responsible for the poor and monitoring their distributions
How much will the generators cost ?
About £8000 for the 150KVA generator the bakery needs to run its ovens and about £3000 for the smaller generator that the premature baby hospital needs.
How will this produce bread for the poor ?
It has taken us some time to understand the complex laws relating to joint ventures. Under a new law it is possible for foreigners to own property in Kazakstan so we will lease the generator to the bakery for 8% of its value per month. This income will be used to buy bread from the bakery to feed the poor. It appears that the law does not allow a joint venture to give away its resources so this is the way of making sure that the law is satisfied and about 100 loaves per day are available for the poor.
Are you asking for money ?
No ! We are asking you to consider before God how much Alex and others have given to see the project so far and then to give thanks in a practical way as God leads you.
South Kazakstan Enterprises Ltd
9 Highlands Lane
Henley-on-Thames
Oxon RG9 4PR
01491-412525
or send your gift direct to our bank account at
Lloyds Bank
1 Reading Road
Henley-on-Thames
Oxon.
United Kingdom
Sort Code 30-94-13
Account Number 0378982
Account Name South Kazakstan Enterprises Ltd