Enjoying Bread Baked In The School’s Own Bread Oven

Following the success of our “Buy a Breakfast” Appeal, since January 2015, the children at Arise School have been provided with a simple breakfast every morning – a cup of milky tea with some bread to dip into it. By 6.30 am, the children are already arriving at school and queuing patiently for their breakfast to be served at 7 am.

Like most foodstuffs, the cost of buying bread in Tanzania has increased and the school budget was becoming stretched. Now, thanks to a generous donation from one of our ACE trustees, the school has its own bread oven. It is fired by wood collected locally and is already in regular use by Atu, the school cook. Ovens are not commonplace in this part of the world but Atu has quickly learned to master the art of baking dozens of bread rolls.  

At the end of the school day, the oven is fired up to the correct temperature and the risen dough made into big batches of rolls which are cooked in trays ready for the following morning. The smell of freshly baked bread wafts across the school grounds! Cooking oil is then smeared sparingly on the rolls to prevent them going hard overnight. In fact, we can vouch personally that the oil keeps them soft and perfectly fresh. They are delicious!

The pleasure and enjoyment on the children’s faces as they eat their rolls for breakfast is very plain to see. Not unexpectedly, there is also a queue for seconds! A simple breakfast but one that is making such a great difference to the children’s health, their ability to learn and to make the most of their opportunity of an education. Another great initiative by Arise School made possible by one of our very longstanding supporters. Asante sana.