Hope for Life Bakery

 

There’s a part of Hope for Life that I’ve not yet written about – the bakery. But, as always, a little background first…

Hope for Life (HFL) was founded almost 40 years ago, in 1986, by a French SMA priest and a handful of Ghanaian friends with disabilities. I first came to be a part of it in 1996 when the French missionary left. It was a time when Hope for Life was well funded, as there were a couple of NGOs that helped cover a lot of our efforts, especially with children. After 3 years, I left to go back to school, believing that I would be able to do even more if I studied occupational therapy. Later, I realized that basically what I had loved and left behind with HFL was a lot of what I was studying with OT. HFL had given me immense hands-on experience in the community-based aspects of OT, and my studies were providing me with the theories behind OT approaches and broadening my mind and skills. I planned that I would ask to return to HFL when I finished my degree. (As it turned out, though, when I finished school, there were two others at HFL and no need for me at that time. I was asked to go to the Liberian refugee camp outside of Accra, instead.)

Around 25 years ago, while I was away, HFL submitted a proposal and received funding for a bakery project. The intention was to generate income for HFL and to provide employment, training and income-generating options for some of HFL’s members. The bakery has undergone various changes in its administration over the years, with varying results. When I came back to HFL in 2009, there was an SMA Dutch lay missionary running the bakery who was having some success in finding new customers. Yet, the bakery has never achieved the profits needed to assist with funding HFL’s activities and for the past few years there have been no HFL members employed or otherwise directly benefiting.

sugar bread cooling prior to bagging

bread oven

cooling racks to the right, slicers in the background

Following some mismanagement issues, the bakery closed for a brief period around 2019. This coincided with COVID-19’s arrival, so it made sense to take a pause. When I returned to Ghana again about a year and a half ago, there was a Catholic sister running it. The sister had come about 2 – 3 years prior to my return. Together with the baker, they had gradually found a market and built it up a little, eventually increasing production a bit. 

Emma, the baker, mixing

 

Emma bagging the butter bread

Richard, the assistant baker, working the rolling machine

However, assistance from the bakery towards HFL’s efforts was still not coming. Finally, 2 years ago, the head of Ghana SMA insisted that a portion of income from each loaf of bread sold be given to HFL. It took more than 6 months for that to begin, and, even then, it was less than half of what the SMA head had insisted upon.

 

Emma bagging the butter bread

loading the temporary delivery vehicle

The settled-upon contribution was a compromise and we (the HFL administration) agreed to it, as the other option would have been to receive nothing. The share of sales began coming a little over a year ago, which has helped a bit in our outreach efforts.

 

Kaneshi (a part of Accra) branch meeting

In October last year, disappointed with the lack of greater profit, the SMA boss asked us (the HFL administration) if we would take over running the bakery to see how it would go. Even though running a bakery is the last thing I want to do, we did as he asked…

It’s been a gradual learning process – with gradual progress. We see some profit, but a lot of other issues have become apparent – the machines and the delivery van had not been maintained (which is why there is a temporary, borrowed delivery vehicle pictured above - after we took over, I was able to raise donations specifically for another delivery van), staff had been promised raises for over a year and were getting discouraged that no increments in pay had come, a lack of structure and discipline for the staff, an almost non-existent and disorganized bookkeeping system, and more.

For the first month or so things were fine, as we were just beginning and we didn’t yet see some of the other issues. Gradually, however, we began to see them and there were a couple of months when it seemed the bakery took up all our time, in spite not wanting the bakery or the mushroom project to become our main focus. What would be the point of either of them if we are not directly involved with Hope for Life and its members? We have continued to attend branch meetings regularly, but for a while there was little time for additional outreach. 

Mamprobi branch meeting

Gradually we are getting a handle on these issues and are getting back to giving more focus to HFL and its members. For the past couple of months, we’ve been able to get out more and visit some of our members in addition to attending the branch meetings.   

 

Odorkor branch meeting

We do not need to remind ourselves that the bakery and mushrooms exist for HFL – they are not to become the primary focus or take away from HFL. Yet if they are to be successful, which will help HFL, then the bakery needs our attention. Fortunately, this need is becoming less constant and we are getting back on track with giving increased attention to the HFL members.

we have a choice

 

I just finished preparing an entire blog update about another aspect of Hope for Life, but then Pope Francis died yesterday as I was about to post it. A friend then sent me this link to a video of Pope Francis’s life as pope (Twelve years of new paths, processes and open doors), and, with all that’s going on these days, it no longer seemed the best choice to go ahead and post the planned update. I wanted to write something else and use the prepared update in the next week or so instead.

Whether you are a Christian or not, Pope Francis’s death is felt. He touched people across the spectrum with his unconditional, non-judgmental love and his recognition of his own imperfections - - always asking people to pray for him, to offer their blessings over him. He acknowledged that it isn’t his – or our – place to judge divorced individuals, LGBTQ+ people, women who have had abortions, immigrants…you name the group of marginalized people. He made it clear through words, writings and his actions that his role, our role, is to love each other, to care for all of creation, to let people know we care, that we are together, we have all made mistakes, none of us are perfect, and that we need to see each and every one of us, beginning with ourselves, as another person struggling to get it right, yet stumbling along the way. His love and concern extended to all of God’s creation - - his encyclical Laudato si’ is just one of many powerful examples of his message of care and concern for all of creation. He set a standard of what should be considered basic morality at a time when other leaders exhibit next to zero morality.

I am thankful to have heard him speak in person a number of times (even if most of those times it was from across St. Peter’s Square), to have shaken his hand, looked into his eyes. I joke with people that while I was living in Rome, he and I used to have a beer together on Sundays after he prayed the Angelus and gave his blessing in St. Peter’s Square. (I honestly believe this could have been possible and that he sometimes did something similar with someone else.)

 

This humble man led as much with his words as with his actions, challenging us to do the same. For some, who prefer the status quo, who don’t want to risk their positions of power and wealth, the challenge felt personal in a different way, and he was not popular.

He literally kissed the feet of prisoners, of Muslims, of immigrants…of political leaders at war, begging them for peace.

And then we have the other examples of leadership today…politicians cutting off humanitarian aid, sending migrants not just away, but to prison without due process, cutting off funding to education and health care and environmental programs and the list goes on and on as we all know. Some of them do these things directly, and others by being too weak and fearful to speak out, allowing them to happen without any word of dissent.

I want to be marching and protesting with friends and family who are faithfully trying to defend human rights and the environment on a regular basis, on the coldest days of the year as well as on the beautiful spring days of the moment.

Thank you all who are speaking out, who are stepping out, who are letting our voices be heard. I’m with you, even if I have no protests to attend here. We have a choice…follow the humanitarian, caring, “Christian” example of non-judgmentally loving each other and the world as Pope Francis spoke of, wrote about, prayed for and demonstrated through his actions. Or there is the option of sitting back and using the excuse of not knowing what is really going on, choosing to remain ignorant and choosing to be fearful of something or someone we don’t understand and in most cases don't know much about, choosing to just allow the hatred and its disgustingly shameful results to happen.

Hope for Life, in photos

 

Many Hope for Life members are also part of other organizations for people with disabilities (PWDs), but they regularly tell us that what sets us apart is they can see we sincerely care about each of them. We give individual attention to our HFL members, going beyond just donations.

For example, over a year ago we (Fanny, the Administrator, George, the HFL President and I) resumed doing “car days” at least once per week. These are our home, workplace or school visits that make it possible for us to get to know HFL members and their families more personally. It gives us a chance to see a little more clearly how things are really going. We get to spend one-on-one time with our members, giving them a chance to talk at ease about more personal issues, and giving us a chance to offer more personal support and advice where it might be needed.

Some of our car day visits:

 

Rose (the HFL branch coordinator), me and Becky, who moves with calipers and crutches and prepares and sells omelettes and ramen noodles with veggies and more. Becky needs to repaint her container for selling, as the sea air has led to rust.

Constance, a retired teacher, uses his umbrella like a cane to stabilize his walking with his special shoe and calipers. He is standing in front of his snail farm and plans to expand into mushrooms, as well.

 

Amelia gets around with her cane. She is in the rented shop where she has a corn-grinding machine.

 

 

Joseph, a shoemaker who does his work at a table under a tree alongside his home, sits behind his shoe making table with his 2-year-old daughter, Lodi.

Aunty Maggie, sporting her cool sunglasses, has an amputated leg and makes her living selling charcoal.

 

Esther is taking care of her granddaughter while working on a beaded necklace in front of her bead shop.

Charles is the father of Benedict and John (not pictured) and 2 other sons. Charles was diagnosed with diabetes about 7 years ago and has lost mobility and is losing his sight due to complications from the diabetes. Benedict is 34 years old and has cerebral palsy. John, their son/brother who does most of the caregiving, is our new mushroom grow-house manager. He had already been planning to set up his own mushroom business to assist the family prior to having the opportunity for hands-on learning with us.

Dawood (on the left - I've written about him before) and Fusseini. Dawood was guiding us on this car day. I also knew Fusseini about 30 years ago, when he was a shy young man. Today, he is a confident married man with a couple of kids and he repairs motorbikes.

Dinah is a provisions seller. She is the mother of four kids - her husband, the love of her life, has passed away. She is pictured with George, the Hope for Life President, who is often able to adjust his schedule to join on the car days.

 

Esther, seated on the mat, is a 17-year-old with cerebral palsy. She is pictured with her grandmother, who tries to continue with the physical therapy that she observed being done on Esther when they used to have the money for going to the hospital for therapy.

Gladys is a hairdresser and mother of one 8-year-old boy. The landlord for the land where her hairdressing shop is located has asked her to relocate, so she is working that out.

Grace sells water and other soft drinks. She's been doing well with her business and we were recently able to give her a business boost to expand a bit more.

Martin, on the floor, is pictured with Michael, the branch coordinator who is also a tailor. Martin stays with his grandparents. He used to have a soap-making business, supplying some of the hotels, but COVID led to its collapse and since then he has struggled with deciding to rebuild it or to go another direction.

Joshua is 5 years old and has hydrocephalus. While waiting for a special chair to be made that will better support his body and head, we were able to get a wheelchair donated to help his mother to maneuver him around their home. Fanny (the HFL Administrator) is pictured seated on the bench, and Joshua has a little bit of a crush on her...

Kwasi, who has visual impairments, is standing in front of the pen where he raises goats to sell.

 

Divine, in the center, is an electrician who had an accident leaving him with his left arm and leg amputated. He now has an electrical shop he is trying to succeed with. He is pictured with Janet, the branch coordinator, and one of his sons in front of the house they are trying to build (where they also live).

Prince, 28-years-old, is a tailor. He had a Buruli ulcer when younger, which left his left arm deformed and with limited mobility. Hope for Life helped with the application for funds so he could have his own sewing machine, which he works on from in front of the family home. He hopes to set up his own shop in a better location.

Prosper is a Hope for Life member I've known for 30 years. He is trained in electronics and is currently working as an elevator operator at a shopping mall in central Accra. He is preparing for his retirement with land north of the city where he is already cultivating his gardens and planning to acquire a bore hole, when funds permit, as well as a grinding machine.

Rejoice, on the left, is another long-time member. She is a ramen noodle and spaghetti street-food seller and faithfully attends HFL meetings. When asked how HFL has benefitted her, she says she has never received anything from HFL. When next asked why she is still a member and attends meetings, she says that these are her friends, her family. She is pictured with Christie (our first mushroom grow-house manager and the branch coordinator) and George.

Salomey, center, sells school supplies on a church compound where there is also a school. She has a limited selection and we were recently able to give her a business boost to expand the options she has for sale. This school term has just begun, so there are no pictures yet. She is with Becky, the coordinator, and George, the HFL President also on the car day.

Each of the branches also has branch meetings at least once per month. We try to get to as many as we can…here are just a few of those:

George, the HFL President, on the left, and Tetteh (who I've written about, pictured on the right) can both be seen here.

 

Fanny, the HFL Administrator, and George are also pictured here.

 

 

 

Bernard, the branch financial secretary, is on the left; Emmanuel, the branch secretary, is in the center; and Moses, the coordinator, is seated.

 

George is on the left; Grace, the pure water seller, is center.

We're working on this branch. COVID and the loss of their coordinator has made it difficult for them to gather regularly...but, we're on it to see if they want to continue or not - up to them.

 

 

This branch had invited members of the National Health Insurance to come talk at their meeting, explaining how the system works, who and how it benefits, etc.

 

 

 

As I said, Hope for Life members often tell us that this personal touch, care and attention is not offered by other groups. During car days and branch meetings, we also reinforce the original spirit and purpose of Hope for Life – coming together as brothers and sisters to support each other, lift each other up, encourage each other, advise each other, etc., reminding the members that HFL can only be as strong as its members.

Prior to my return to HFL in September 2023, there had been fewer car days for a variety of reasons (notably a lack of finances and no driver). As a result, some HFL members forgot the HFL spirit and began to expect handouts. However, and with occasional frustration, we are gradually getting the original spirit back.

Car days are my favorite part of what I do at this time. Being able to sit and talk with people, hear what’s going on, laugh and cry together and work towards whatever their goal may be (or just trying to determine their goal in some cases), is what it’s all about for me.

I still need to deal with less pleasant parts of what is necessary – finances and fundraising, record-keeping, building up the mushroom and the bakery projects so I won’t need to fundraise as much in the future, etc. But, all of that is what makes car days and spending time with HFL members possible, so, even though I can’t say I “grin and bear it,” I can say I try my best to take care of it in a positive frame of mind by keeping our goals in sight.