Bake it happen:
Shanghai Young Bakers helps Braille Without Borders develop its Baking school for the Blind
SHANGHAI, China. September 23, 2012 – Shanghai Young Bakers (www.shanghaiyoungbakers.com), a charity program that provides a fully-sponsored French bakery training to disadvantaged Chinese youth went on a 10-days trip to Shigatse, Tibet, where a team of teachers and students worked with Braille Without Borders (BWB) to expand their Bakery School for the Blind.
Similarly to SYB, BWB aims at alleviating poverty and empowering marginalized youth through vocational skills training. BWB’sBakerySchoolfor the Blind was founded in 2010 with the aim to train blind and partially sighted students. It also serves to provide additional revenue to the organization. However, BWB baking school was lacking equipment and qualified trainers, which is why they reached out to SYB to develop their program.
To that aim, SYB welcomed Basang Lamu, one of BWB’s sighted staff, as part of their 2011-2012 class. In addition to bakery classes at SYB, she did an internship at Grand Mercure Hongqiao. Another BWB member, Tse Drolkar, spent two months in SYB so that she could improve her bakery and teaching skills and help Basang Lamu. This “train-the-trainer” program was a first for SYB, which hopes to help more organizations in the future.
SYB spent 10 days in Shigatse and Lhasa, from July 20 – 31, 2012, to help develop and further expand BWB bakery program. Three teachers, two past SYB graduates from the class of 2009 and 2011, the top six students from the 2012 graduating class, as well as SYB’s program manager and interns were part of the journey. The trip, sponsored by Shanghai Business International Travel as well as Huaqiao Foundation, included technical assessment and counseling, bakery workshops, specialized training for BWB staff, and experience sharing.
When talking about the objectives of this cooperation, Cecile Cavoizy, the program manager of Shanghai Young Bakers, said:” First, we wanted to keep helping BWB complete its baking program. Basang Lamu and Tse Drolkar are still quite young, they may not have enough experience to plan the programme very well, so we decided to go with them to Tibet the carry on its first step. We invited some graduate students and our three teachers to join us so that they could be inspired what BWB is doing in Tibet, and help them with their own strength. One year ago, they still need others’ help, but now they can help others and give back to society. “
The team arrived in Lhasa on July 24th and was welcomed warmly by the teachers and students of BWB School. The school administrators, Nyima and Gyentsen, showed everyone around. Visually impaired kids learn Chinese, English and Tibetan here, so that they can then enter a normal school. During the visit, Gyentsen showed us how to use a computer, a cellphone as well as a typewriter in Braille, which was very impressive. Zhao Xueyan, one of SYB graduate students said: “What I learn from them is that I should never lose hope in life.”
In Shigatse, led by the manager, Adron, SYB students visited BWB vocational training school for the blind. The school is actually a beautiful and quiet farm where the blind students study and live. In addition to their bakery center, the farm includes a green house, pasture, and a cheese factory. The students have the opportunity to develop various skills, such as playing music, massage and knitting. Much like SYB, the goal of BWB is for these underprivileged students to acquire skills that they can use upon graduation.
Next to the school is Kiki Kindergarten, founded in 2011. Kyila, the kindergarten principal, told us that she was among the first group of students in BWB, and decided to keep working in the kindergarten after graduation. Being blind herself, she knows from her own experience how difficult life can be for blind kids if they are not taken care of properly. Running a kindergarten dedicated to visually impaired children was for her a dream that came true, and blind kids now live a happy childhood in KiKi kindergarten. Zhang Shuai, one of SYB students, said: “They can’t see, but they have beautiful minds, we should face life positively just like they do.” “The work of BWB gives hope to these kids and helps them integrate into society” said the Program Manager of SYB, Cecile Cavoizy.
So that to make the most of their time in Tibet, SYB teachers had started preparing the list of equipments needed as well as dozens of recipes way before their departure. After having researched the local bakery market on July 25th, the teachers, Basang Lamu and Tse Drolkar bought the necessary equipments and refurbished the baking center so tat to facilitate its use by visually challenged students. Wang Li, one of SYB baking teacher, explained: “We put a table in the middle to divide the kitchen into two parts, one is for the oven, and the other is for operation. Then the students with better visual ability can work in the oven space and others can work in the operation space, which is better for safety reasons.”
Baking classes started on the evening of July 28th. Teacher Xiao Jinjin was in charge of the pastry classes and Teacher Zhang Zhenghai of bakery classes. Every BWB student was paired with a SYB instructor. In order to adapt to the local taste, the teachers used Tibetan butter instead of the normal one. Although many students could not speak mandarin well, the translation of Basang Lamu and Tse Drolkar eased any communication difficulties. Thanks to everyone’s hard work, the class finished two hours earlier than expected and turned out to be a big success. 12 different kinds of bread were made; including classical French bread, Chinese pastry and Italian pizza. Everyone enjoyed their work. “They do have some problem with visual ability, but their performance really surprised us!” said Wang Li. The fourth graduation of SYB, Wang Huiping said: ”They are so clever and learn very fast!” Teacher Zhang Zhenghai said the students were very serious in the class and tried their best to learn, which really touched him.
Adron said excitedly: “Our kitchen had been left unused for many years. Now here you come and we can finally make good bread! Yesterday I was so excited that I didn’t sleep all night! Thank you, SYB, I hope we can continue our cooperation.” Teacher Zhang Zhenghai said: ”We came here to teach them, but it is actually them who taught me a lesson, I learnt so much from their optimism, persistence and patience.!”
“Given that we share similar ideals, the success of BWB’s Bakery School for the Blind is equally important to us as it is to them. If BWB were able to build a social enterprise that generates enough revenue to sustain a non-profit bakery school, it then sets a perfect example for SYB and other organizations that have the same intent in China.” said Cecile Cavoizy.
同一个理想，相逢在西藏
——记“海上青焙坊”与西藏“盲文无国界组织”的一次合作
中国，上海，2012年9月23日—海上青焙坊（SYB）——一个非营利性组织，创办于2008年，免费培训家庭困难的青少年烘焙技术，帮助他们脱离困境。2012年7月22日到8月4日，海上青焙坊带领着学生和老师前往西藏日喀则，与西藏“盲文无国界”组织（BWB）一起，力图扩建当地的盲人烘焙学校。
“盲文无国界”组织，与海上青焙坊相同，提供包括烘焙在内的职业技能训练，来消除贫困，帮助处在社会边缘的年轻人。2010年创立的盲人烘焙学校目标是给盲或视力障碍的学生教授烘焙技术，同时也为组织增加一些额外的收入。但是现今组织成员都不具有任何烘焙技术，烘焙学校一直难以开展。所以本次和海上青焙坊的合作将有力地弥补技术上的短缺。
巴桑拉姆，此次西藏之行的领队，藏族人，有着双重身份：海上青焙坊2012届的毕业生，“盲文无国界”组织的非盲成员。巴桑拉姆经过在海上青焙坊一年的烘焙技术学习和在上海虹桥美爵大酒店的实习，她已经成为一个有能力回馈社会的面包师。刚刚在海上青焙坊完成为期两个月的初级烘焙培训的次卓嘎从旁帮助她。次卓嘎是盲文无国界组织日喀则面包房的负责人，两个月培训大大地提升了她的烘焙技术，在未来能帮助她更好的管理和教学。
这次合作标志着海上青焙坊首创的“train-the-trainer”模式初次成功，这种模式也是海上青焙坊未来的目标所在。
2012年7月22日，三位老师、两位海上青焙坊2009届和2011届的前毕业生，六位2012届的优秀毕业生，还包括海上青焙坊和项目主管和实习生。一行人从海上出发，历时48个小时，奔赴拉萨。这项旅程的资助来自上海商务国际旅行社与华桥基金会。
旅程将会包涵参观交流、技术评估与咨询、烘焙工作间、盲文无国界组织成员的特殊培训和课程分享等方面。海上青焙坊和盲文无国界组织也会规划日喀则烘焙学校的长期发展计划。
关于这次西藏之行的目的，海上青焙坊的项目主管Cecile Cavoizy说：“，一个是我们要持续帮助BWB完成这个烘焙项目，巴桑拉姆和次卓嘎都还很年轻，或许还不能很好的安排和筹划，所以我们觉得和她们一起回到西藏帮助他们完成筹建的第一步。第二个目的也就是为什么我们除了三位老师外还带了八位SYB的学生，我们希望他们能被这里的事情所感染所激励，并且能用自己的力量去帮助他们，他们一年前还是需要帮助的对象，而现在已经有能力去帮助其他人回馈社会。”
队伍于7月24日抵达西藏拉萨，受到了BWB位于拉萨的盲人学校的热情欢迎。校长尼玛和管理人员坚赞带领着海上青焙坊的老师和学生们参观了“盲文无国界”组织的盲人学校，盲童学生们在这里学习中文、英文、藏语等，为进入正常学校学习做准备。坚赞还向大家演示了盲人如何使用电脑和手机，让SYB的学员们都大为惊叹。海上青焙坊第三届的毕业生赵雪艳说：“我从他们身上学到了不要对生活失去希望，永远向前看。”
随后，在日喀则后，盲人职业技能培训学校的管理人阿珍老师带领大家参观了西藏琪琪幼儿园和盲人职业技能培训学校。安静漂亮的农场里，盲或视力障碍的学生们依照自己的喜好学习按摩、制作奶酪、编织、牧业、耕种技术、音乐演奏还有烘焙等职业技能，在学成毕业后，他们将靠自己的能力独立生活。
紧邻着的琪琪幼儿园是2011年才创办的盲童幼儿园，创办人吉拉是BWB第一届的学生，她说：“我自己也是盲人，到了盲人学校以后的梦想就是办盲童幼儿园，因为孩子们在家没人陪很孤单，我自己也是这样过来的。”在日喀则的见闻深深的感动了海上青焙坊的学生和老师，海上青焙坊第四届毕业生张帅说：“虽然他们看不见，但他们的心灵是美好的，总是乐观面对生活。”海上青焙坊项目主管Cecile Cavoizy说：“BWB所做的就是给了孩子们希望，让他们更好的融入了社会。”
<为了给盲人烘焙学校最好的帮助，准备工作在到西藏之前就开始准备了。烘焙老师早早准备好烘焙工作室所需的设备清单和数十个配方。在7月25日和27、28日，海上青焙坊的老师们考察了西藏当地的市场，和巴桑拉姆、次卓嘎一起为盲人烘焙学校购置了必需的设备和原料。在7月28日下午，海上青焙坊的学生们重新布置了烘焙工作室，使其更加方便使用也更适用于盲人学生。海上青焙坊的烘焙老师王莉说：“我们把工作室分成了两个部分，一间是烤炉间，一间是操作间，中间有桌子隔开，视力比较好的学生可以在烤炉间工作，视力不太好的学生就可以在操作间工作，这样会比较安全。”
正式的烘焙培训课从7月28日晚上开始，肖金金和张政海老师分别负责甜点课和烘焙课。为了保证教学质量，采取了一对一的教学方式——一个SYB学生教授一个BWB学生。为了适应西藏当地的口味和市场，海上青焙坊的老师们还尝试了用西藏特色的酥油来代替黄油。大部分的BWB学员不能说汉语，但是在拉姆和次卓嘎的翻译下，SYB的学员和他们都能沟通顺畅。在大家紧密的配合下，烘焙课程比原计划的提前了两小时完成，大家做了12种面包，包括经典的法式面包、中式甜点还有意式的匹萨。最后大家一起品尝了自己的劳动成果。“他们虽然视力有障碍，但是确实做得很好，这出乎了我们的意料！”王莉老师这样说到。海上青焙坊第四届毕业生王会萍说到：“他们特别聪明，学得也特别快！”海上青焙坊烘焙老师张政海说：“他们非常的认真，非常努力的去跟着老师学习，这让我十分感动。”
阿珍激动地说：“我们的面包房已经闲置很多年了，现在你们来了，我们终于可以好好做面包了，我昨晚高兴得都睡不着觉，谢谢海上青焙坊，希望我们能一直合作下去。” 海上青焙坊烘焙老师张政海说：“我们过来是给他们上课，但其实也给我上了一课，我从他们身上学到了他们的乐观和坚持，他们有耐心每天都把事情做得很好。” 海上青焙坊第四届毕业生周海州说：“我希望以后每年海上青焙坊都能有人来到西藏帮助他们！”
“考虑到我们有着同样的理想，盲文无国界组织盲人烘焙学校的成功对他们和对我们都同样重要，如果盲文无国界组织能够建立起一个能获得足够收入来支撑非营利性烘焙学校的社会企业，这将会给海上青焙坊和中国有着相同目标的其他组织树立一个完美的样本。” Cecile Cavoizy这样说道。