Bread has literally been the lifeline for the Rehabilitation Centre for Blind Women (RCBW) in Mannarpuram.
The centre has been running the bakery non-stop during the lockdown. A newly refurbished premises of the bakery was inaugurated recently.
“We were able to supply bread, tea buns and other baked items at a time when other commercial bakeries were closed. Our staff have all been vaccinated, and we follow standard safety and hygiene procedures. We were using only one industrial oven at first, but we are able to produce more after repairing another oven, and adding two mechanical kneaders,” Vimala Moses, honorary superintendent and project director of the centre, told The Hindu .
Established on July 14, 1975 by noted ophthalmologist and philanthropist Joseph Gnanadhickam (founder of Joseph Eye Hospital), RCBW provides vocational training to visually challenged women in the age group of 18-35 years.
The bakery’s renovation was completed with funds from Help the Blind Foundation of Hong Kong, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), which supports university education for the visually challenged, and other well-wishers.
The new premises was formally inaugurated over the weekend, and is expected to sell its wares through a small cafeteria adjoining the bakery kitchen.
Like the weaving unit, and the tailoring section situated within the RCBW campus, the bakery is staffed by sighted and visually impaired workers.
The kneading, proofing and baking of the dough is taken care of by sighted bakers, R. Victoria and Emina, while six visually impaired students help out with cleaning and preparing the pans and packaging the goods for sale. All the food items are free of chemical preservatives.Bulk orders for institutions and private occasions are also undertaken by the home.
The reasonably priced goods like bread, coconut buns, puffs and biscuits earn the centre around Rs. 2500 per day. “We don’t consider this to be a business; we want to impart vocational skills to adult visually impaired women so that they can be financially independent when they leave us. The profits from the bakery are utilised for the welfare of our students,” said Ms. Moses.
Customers can collect their orders directly from the centre while they enjoy the aroma of freshly baked bread and buns wafting through the rooms.
