In a Uganda Refugee Camp, Baking Bread to Heal and Feed
Macrina is donating all net proceeds from sales of our 30th Anniversary Confetti Cupcakes from August 14 – 26 to the ADAMÂ Foundation and Bakery. Our Confetti Cupcakes are a tender butter cake filled with a dollop of huckleberry compote and topped with vanilla buttercream and funfetti sequins.
“I am happy now that I spend most of my days baking, and my nights are peaceful,” said Kareem, an eighteen-year-old refugee who lost his family to violence in Congo. 
Located near the Oruchinga Settlement Camp in southwest Uganda, the ADAMÂ Bakery serves over 9,000 refugees from East Africa. Jeffrey Hamelman and Mitch Stamm were brought in to train the bakers, a connection that inspired Macrina's annual support. “When the refugees arrive, they are given four eucalyptus poles and a tarp,” says Jeffrey. Mitch adds, “They’ve been stripped of everything except their dignity.” With limited equipment, the bakery daily welcomes twenty-four bakers. These bakers not only earn but also distribute a portion of the day’s bread to the camp's children. “Three-fourths of the bakers are women,” notes Jeffrey. 
Under the management of Angella Kushemererwa and Sophie Karungi, the bakery ensures that bread reaches the needy children daily. “Handing out the bread is an act of the utmost elation when you see the joy on the faces of the children who get the buns,” Jeffrey emphasizes, but the supply often falls short. The goal for the bakery is to become self-sustaining eventually, but for now, keeping it open costs about $5,000 per month. Construction is underway for an adjacent store to sell the bakery’s products, putting it on track to become a self-sustaining business. They’ve also nearly finished construction of a new kitchen and now have running water. 
“We know the needs are endless, but even small contributions benefit a large number of people,” says Scott France, president and co-owner of Macrina Bakery. “We made a significant contribution last year and we hope to top that this year. The money goes directly to the bakery and it makes an incredible impact on the bakers’ lives.” Jeffrey adds, “Some people might say you’re training 24 people...this is just wonderful,” but he acknowledges the bigger picture. Reflecting on the impact, he says, “You can tell half our heart is in Uganda. We know that we’ve changed their lives. They don’t know to what extent they’ve changed ours.”
