ADS Eastern Launches Bakery.
The Anglican Development Services (ADS) Eastern Region- has launched a bakery facility known as Anglicare Bakery in Wamunyu, Machakos County. The investment is aimed at supporting farmers in the Eastern region access markets for their potato produce, addressing Food Insecurity and malnutrition among the communities; as well as complimenting sustainability Programs being rolled out by ADSE. The bread produced at the facility will be partly baked using amaranth and the orange-fleshed sweet potato, a nutritious biofortified sweet potato variety being promoted by ADSE in the region, in partnership with Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO). The 33 million Shillings Investment is also expected to supplement ADSE’s income streams. This will further support her Community Development initiatives within the Region, covering Machakos, Makueni, Kitui, Garissa, Mandera, and Wajir Counties.
The Bakery has a capacity to produce 10,000 loaves a day, providing employment opportunities for dozens of community members. The bread produced will get into the market under the brand name ‘Mkate Afya’.
Speaking during the Launch, the ADSE Chief Executive Office John Mutua, underscored the transformation role that ADS had played in the communities over the years. He explained that the bakery would primarily offer the farmers in the region ready market for their produce since the materials identified for fortification of the bread would be sourced locally from them. This would translate into increased incomes for the community.
A Borehole was also commissioned during the launch to provide uninterrupted clean water supply to the nearby community and within the ADSE Headquarters in Wamuyu. The borehole is expected to provide a source yield of about 11M3/hour, enough to sustain the Headquarters operations with the surplus being supplied to neighboring community members at an affordable fee.
The Launch service was attended by among others, ACK Diocesan Bishops Joseph Mutungi (Machakos), Francis Matui (Makueni), Gideon Muneni (Kitui), and David Ngangi (Garissa) as well as Retired (ACK) Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi and retired (ACK) Bishop Joseph Kanuku; clergy, ADS Kenya Executive Director Bwibo Adieri, community Members, and representatives from partner organizations.
