News & Events 新闻与活动
This Sunday, Brian Tan from HoF generously proposed to make a demonstration for our students in the Lujiazui branch of HoF. He prepared in front of us one of his amazing chocolate brownies! Read more...
What an original birthday party! On Saturday, February 18th, Carmen had a special class for her and her friends to bake her birthday cake and celebrate together. Read more...
On Monday, Shanghai Young Bakers´s (SYB) students, teachers, volunteers and employees gathered to celebrate three occasions: Chung To's birthday (the founder and director of Chi Heng Foundation), the Lantern Festival and the last day of Chinese New Years. 上周一 慈善项目海上青焙坊的学生，教师，志愿者和员工齐聚一堂，庆祝三种场合, 杜聰的生日（智行基金会的创始人和董事)， 元宵节和中国农历年的最后一天。Read more...
On behalf of the SYB students and the SYB team, we wish you and your family health, success and happiness in the Year of the Dragon! Read more...
Thanks to the Hua Qiao Foundation, we now have a projector for the students' classes and our presentations!
Read more...
530 pieces of SYB "Galette des Rois" at the Pudong campus of the French school!
Read more...
Pivoine Magazine - n°0 - Jan 2012
Shanghai Young Bakers - un projet d’innovation sociale de jeunes Français
海上青焙坊 - 助困青年创意项目之访谈
by Jieni Fu
J’ai entendu le nom de Shanghai Young Bakers (SYB) pour la première fois grâce à une amie de Sciences Po Paris. Une fois à Shanghai, lorsque j’ai évoqué ce projet au cours d’une discussion avec des amis travaillant dans le monde de l’éducation, ils se sont tous montrés enthousiastes : “La chaîne de télévision de Shanghai dédiée à l’éducation a fait un reportage sur eux. Ils sont assez connus.” Curieuse, j’avais d’autant plus hâte de rencontrer la responsable de ce projet, Cécile CAVOIZY...
Trendy Color
(circulation: 80,000 / month)
Brief translation:
Miss CA Attended Charity Donation in Shanghai
Members of American Pistachios Growers (APG) and Miss California arrived at Shanghai Young Bakers to make donation to the trainee students there. Shanghai Young Bakers is a charity school established by French, and they offer free boarding and training to the teenagers between 17 and 23 that are either orphans or from underprivileged families. APG Members and Miss CA also made pastry with the students.
Shanghai Expatriate Association Courier - Dec 2011 - Community Spotlight
SYB, A future with a taste of bread to disadvantaged Chinese youth
“Give an orphan some bread; you feed him for the day. Teach him to bake; you feed him for a lifetime!” This is the motto of the charity association Shanghai Young Bakers (SYB). Every year, since 2009, an average of 20 disadvantaged Chinese young men and women, aged 17 to 23, get a second chance thanks to the premium training offered by SYB. This year’s promotion welcomes 21 students...
Dear friends, December and its Christmas flavour saw SYB joining public events showing its new developments, mostly as now able to produce bread and cakes and generate some proceeds used to cover our education costs. Participation to the Christmas afternoon of the Cercle Francophone was an opportunity to reunite with long-time partner NGO Children of Madaifu, using Madaifu's charity apples to bake an original "Chausson aux pommes" (kind of apple danish) for sale as a Christmas cake.
Last Sunday 18th Dec, the SYB students joined the Family Fun Day organised by Compassion for Migrant Children ( 打工子弟爱心会) for migrant children.
Read more...
Shanghai Business
(circulation: 150,000 / day)
Charity Donation, APG’s Innovative Idea
American Pistachio Growers (APG) organized a series of activities in Shanghai a few days ago. James Zion, chairman of APG, together with growers of American pistachios and 2011 Miss California, Noelle Freeman, travelled to Shanghai to recommend American pistachios to consumers. The U.S. is a main growing area of American pistachios, which contain rich nutrition, such as sterol, lutein, unsaturated fatty acid and fibre, which can protect heart, eye sight and can lower cholesterol level. Apart from being a healthy snack, American pistachios can also be applied into cooking, bakery and ice-cream. The photo shows APG members, Miss California and students from Shanghai Young Bakeries (SYB). SYB was a charity school which offered free boarding and training to youth aged between 17 and 23 who were either orphans or from underprivileged families. APG members made a donation to SYB and they baked bread featured with American pistachios with the students.
The Power of Pistachios in SYB
2011-12-09 19:07 Shanghai, Dec.9th 2011
Shanghai Young Bakers welcomed the American Pistachio Growers in SYB Baking Centre for an exceptional charity donation with Miss California 2011!
Today, Friday Dec 9th, SYB was more than happy to welcome a very special guest at our Baking Centre! We had an exceptional charity donation with Noelle Freeman, MISS CALIFORNIA 2011, who is in Shanghai to promote American pistachios’ nutritional and flavor benefits as part of “The Power of Pistachios” campaign tour, designed by the APG (American Pistachio Growers).
Hey, are you still looking for the perfect Christmas present for your family and friends? How about a French Bakery class? We now propose gift vouchers (value 500RMB) for our public classes; a fun and responsible present, perfectly suitable with Christmas charity spirit. Contact us !
Saturday, Dec 17th: Last public class before Christmas!
Our next public class is coming up, (in Chinese language) and it's the last one before Christmas and New Year. Come and learn how to bake wholewheat bread and brioches! These recipes are easily made at home, how about baking your own bread for breakfast with your family?
Contact us to register!
On Monday, December 5th, our 3 teachers took the initiative to organize a "SYB alumni" meeting with students from the 4 promotions! Each of us introduced oneself, in a cheerful atmosphere and with many laughters.
It was extremely nice for everyone to share about their own experience, and in particular for this year's students to meet with SYB graduates. We wish to strengthen the solidarity and networking between promotions, and to see new friendships bloom!
On Saturday, Dec 3rd, the French speaking network (Cercle Francophone) organized a Christmas family event, with a show followed by distribution of Christmas presents, drinks and food. Charity NGOs such as SYB, Enfants de Madaifu or Couleur de Chine were there!
Our teachers had baked about 300 very special apple turnovers... Indeed, they were baked with Madaifu's apples, coming from Gansu and Shaanxi... which is Zhang laoshi's hometown! Zhang Zhenghai actually also was initially recommanded to SYB by the ONG Madaifu, and that's what makes these apple turnovers highly symbolic of our partnership with Madaifu!
No need to precise that beyond their symbolic value, they were also absolutely delicious! It's very hard to find apple turnovers in Shanghai; French expats were thrilled and asking for more :)
If you want to learn the recipe, we have scheduled special classes in January for "Galette des rois" and apple turnovers; check it out and register!
Dear friends, SYB is proud to anoounce the opening of our public classes! This is a big step on the road towards sustainability! Individuals or groups are welcome to study one day with our teachers, and learn traditional breads and cakes recipes, specially designed so that you can easily make them at home. Thanks to our teachers' language skills, classes can be taught either in Chinese or French and English translation is available, to make these classes as interactive as possible, and a human experience using bread to exchange around our charity program.
BRAVO to the 10 of our students who participated in the FHC bakery competition!
Beyond their performance, the competition was also a great occasion of sharing the passion of food and discovering specialties from all over the world, in the three huge halls of the Pudong New International Exhibition Centre, where the FHC was organized. The students were more excited than ever, hanging around the hundreds of stands, and eager to experiment new recipes and try new ingredients!
We are extremely proud of our Young Bakers; they’ve started their training for only 3 months and were in competition with professional Chefs from luxury hotels, etc. Everyone was simply blown away by the quality of their baguettes, croissants and decorated breads!
SYB GO GO GO!!!
La lettre de Shanghai (French Consulate Newsletter) - Nov 14th 2011
Du pain sur la planche pour "Shanghai Young Bakers" !
Créée en 2008 par la Jeune chambre économique française (JCEF), l’association Shanghai Young Bakers a depuis pris de l’ampleur. Mercredi 12 octobre 2011, la Lettre de Shanghai a eu la chance de rencontrer les élèves ainsi que Cécile Cavoizy, chargée d’éducation, et Wang Li, ancienne pensionnaire devenue professeur, le tout en vidéo...
Read more...
On Saturday 5th and 12th of November, the employees from Roquette (company producing SweetPearl®), who sponsored the renovation of our Baking Centre, had a chance to catch a glimpse of what the SYB programme their company sponsors is like, through teambuilding activity.
During these activities, the bakery lesson is taught by our students themselves, helping them realize how much they've learnt since the beginning of their training, and improving their self-confidence. It was a great moment of sharing for everyone, so excited to discover new recipes, and to bring back home the cookies/bread/cakes they had just baked!
Elle China - November 2011 (p 210)
海上请焙坊： 第一批“海归”培训师
SYB : the first batch of returnees now trainers
Do you still remember the French lady Cecile, who organizes French traditional bakery training to underprivileged Chinese teenager? This past year, two things made her particularly happy. First, thanks to French brand Sweetpearl’s sponsorship, Shanghai Young Bakers finally has its own baking centre. Second, the top three SYB students were sent to study in France, at the worldwide renowned bakery school EFBA. After completing their studies, they came back to China and are now...
SHANGHAI: A charity in Shanghai is giving poverty-stricken youths a chance to change their fate.
Every year, some 20 young people enter a training programme to become French bakers.
Click here to view the TV report.
This month marks a new step in our students' discovery of the bakery world; they began their internship at various international hotels. These internships offer an amazing opportunity to work at the best bakery departments in Shanghai!
On Sunday 23rd of October, volunteers from Citi Bank gave a lecture on financial management to the SYB students, as part of their life skills training organised by CMC.
The volunteers also got the chance to taste some delicious bread made by the students that week in class!
深呼 (Shenhuxi) - oct 2011
千回百转烘焙缘 - Bakery story
Our magazine introduced the NGO group Shanghai Youth Bakery (SYB), now half a year has passed, three young students who were sent to the French bakery school EFBA has graduated. What is their current situation? How is the team leader of SYB Thomas doing? Read more...
For the first time, SYB will open its doors and offer a bakery training to those who would like to understand SYB better and learn to make bread at home. This first class will be held in French, giving our teachers a chance to show off their French language skills after having spent 7 months in Aurillac.
Contact us for more details and to register!
Sessions in Chinese and English will be organised at a later date.
This Sunday, 800 TeleServices, long-time supporter of Chi Heng Foundation, invited SYB students to join their Employee Family Fun day at the Waterworld of Changfeng Park.
A lot of fun watching the white whale performance, and it was a beautiful day to walk around in the park afterwards.
Chung To, founder & director of Chi Heng Foundation, joined as well – some of the students who had met him when they were younger were very excited to see him again, now that they are SYB students in Shanghai!
Le Petit Shanghaien - Sept 2011
SOCIETE Shanghai Young Bakers
par Anne SEGURA
Sur les pas de l’association « Aide aux enfants de Hué » la JCEF (Jeune Chambre Economique Française) de Shanghai a, durant près d’un an, effectué une étude de marché. Les conclusions favorables : contexte économique local porteur (installation de grands hôtels), développement du tourisme... leur ont permis de monter un dossier pour rechercher des sponsors.
For our 4th batch of students, the new school year started at an even faster pace than usual!
Our 21 students just on board, they immediately began intense bakery classes as well as Chinese pastry, Life skills and English classes, led by our brand new team of teachers: former graduates Zhang, Wang and Xiao for bakery, and Zhao Laoshi as social educator.
On the few blanks left, we took them to the Bund and to visit traditional bakeries in the French Concession.
New year, new goals! SYB is opening its public bakery/pastry classes to help us going on the adventure. Contact us to register!
We have just had our new website design and development completed! Rachel designed it, and Shaun programmed it! If you need a nice website like ours done for you or your company let them know!
Today we took the students to see some of the bakeries selling the products they are currently studying.
From Anfu Lu to Jing An Si, altogether we visited 12 different bakeries!
We had an especially warm welcome at the newly opened Sunflour bakery, where one of our class 1 graduates is currently working.
His tutor, Guo Lifei, has known and supported Shanghai Young Bakers since the very start of the project, and encouraged class 4 students to let this profession help them develop.
Today we took the students to see the Bund together. Everybody was very excited (most of them had never seen anything like it), taking a lot of pictures with their mobile phones.
We also took this opportunity to show them two hotels on the Bund - the Peninsula and the Waldorf Astoria - where some of them will work as bakery interns from October onwards. They were VERY impressed and hoped to be picked to go work there!
We have to pleasure to announce the arrival of the 4th batch of young bakers this coming Sunday 28th! The 21students (12 boys and 9 girls) are aged 17 to 21 and come from 6 partner charities: Chiheng foundation, Madaifu, Baoji Xinxing, Jiuqian, SOS China, and Braille without borders.
We can't wait to meet them!
On August 4th 2011, the 30 children from the Chiheng summer camp were lucky enough to have a baking lesson by the Shanghai Young Bakers! Professors Wang, Zhang and Xiao had just come back from their semester of training in France and were glad to show to the kids a few of their impressive baking skills.
They then taught them how to bake Chinese pastries, helped by other SYB graduates that had very kindly come back to give a hand for the event. The children baked with great application and were really excited to taste their own creations!
Last Sunday, July 3rd 2011, Shanghai Young Bakers students welcomed 22 Evonik employees in their baking centre to take part in a very special team building, where students taught employees how to make bread!
The event was co-organized with Forget Me Not (FMN), a non-profit organization bringing together the corporate world and underprivileged Chinese through team-building activities.
After ice-breaking games in the morning and a shared lunch, the students carefully looker over the Evonik employees as they were preparing brioche and Viennese bread. The atmosphere was very warm and relaxed and both employees and students had great fun!
Xiao Jin, one of the students, concluded: “one year before, we didn’t know anything about bread, and now we are able to teach to other people and pass on this great tradition and passion!”
Shanghai Daily, June 14th 2011
French baker calls teaching a recipe for success
FRENCH "baking technician" Thomas Kalkhoven has a soft spot for young people in need - first inner city kids in Lille and now poor kids in Shanghai. Sophy Nie reports.
French Baguette Like A Four Leaf Clover
English.Eastday.com, 2011-06-13, 13:19, by Anne Dryvers
Could you imagine that buying pastries or bread at the supermarket or eating them at the hotel could help Chinese underprivileged youth? At Carrefour, or many hotels like Sofitel, Radisson or Grand Mercure, Shanghai Young Bakers and its numerous partners made this innovative social project possible.
解放牛网(Jiefang Daily) - 海上青焙坊”助力贫困孩子成为法式面包师 (SYB helps children in difficulty to become French bakers)
解放牛网(Jiefang Daily)
June 10th 2011
海上青焙坊”助力贫困孩子成为法式面包师
(SYB helps children in difficulty to become French bakers)
21岁的陈祥鸽打开烘烤箱，取出由他和学员们制作的面包，面包特有的香气溢满工场。法国人称，这是地道的法式面包。(21-year old Chen Xiangge opened the oven and took out the bread made by him and other students. The kitchen was full of the special scent of fresh baked bread. French would say this is the real baguette.)
Promotion SYB N°3
LePetitJournal.com - SOCIAL/ COMMUNAUTE, 2011-06-02, by Stephanie Devel
L’association Shanghai Young Bakers (SYB) offre à des jeunes chinois orphelins ou défavorisés une formation en boulangerie et s’apprête à clore une troisième promotion ! Bilan, perspectives, évolutions, quelles sont les idées phares de ce projet ?
China Modern Baking 烘焙通 – N° 28, 2011
There is an old saying in China: "Saving one life is better than setting up a seven-storey pagoda". Perhaps the twelve young organizers from France did not understand the meaning expressed by the saying when they set up Shanghai Young Bakers (SYB), however they obviously knew that there were still a great number of children from poor families who needed help. Based on that, the purpose of SYB is to build a platform where the children in difficulty can have free opportunities to learn baking skills and help them successfully integrate into society.
环球时报 (Global Times)
May 19th 2011
23岁的张振海做梦也不曾想过有朝一日他能飞去法国留学。16岁时成了孤儿，付不起学费只得辍学，好不容易在一家玩具厂找到个收入微薄的工作，“当 时觉得自己像一部机器，熬不到出头之日，这辈子没什么指望了”。2009年的一天，“天大的好事”落在了他头上，一群法国人通过慈善机构找到了他，说可以 让他免费学做法式面包，毕业后在上海五星级酒店的面包房工作，问他有没有兴趣？
23-year old Zhang Zhenghai would never have dreamt that he could have the opportunity of studying overseas in France one day. Orphaned when he was 16, Zhang had to stop schooling as he could not afford the fees. After much difficulty, he managed to find a job in a toy factory with a meager salary. “I felt like a mechanical robot. There was no way of me making it big out there. No hope at all for me in my life.” 2009 was a life-changing moment for Zhang. A group of French found out about his situation through a charity organization. They told Zhang he could have the chance to learn the art of traditional French bakery, without any cost. Upon graduation from the course, Zhang could find a job in a bakery of Shanghai’s five-star hotel. Asked if he was interested...
On a hot and humid but otherwise beautiful day I got off at the Qilianshan station and began walking to Shanghai Young Baker’s new baking center to watch Master Baker Pascal Tepper give a demonstration for Shanghai Young Bakers, for the second year in a row...
新华社 (Xinhua News)
April 23rd, 2011
中国孩子结缘法式面包 (Chinese children and French bread)
最近来华访问的欧盟农业委员达奇安·乔罗什在上海享受到一个特殊礼遇：品尝由一群中国年轻人制作的法式面包。面包的发酵、烤制都很讲究，滋味地道，乔罗什频频点头。
The European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Dacian Cioloş recently visited China and enjoyed a special treat of French bread made by a group of young Chinese. The bread were well fermented and baked, tasting like authentic French bread and even the Commissioner nodded in approval.
Inauguration du centre de cuisine des "Shanghai Young Bakers"
Ambafrance-cn.org, 2011-03-24Le Consul général de France à Shanghai Emmanuel LENAIN a inauguré lundi 14 mars 2011, avec le Commissaire européen à l’agriculture Dacian Cioloş, la première école de boulangerie à Shanghai.
La Montagne
Feb 20th, 2011
L'art de mener les Chinois à la baguette
L'école française de la boulangerie d'Aurillac (Cantal) forme pendant six mois des orphelins chinois appelés à devenir les ambassadeurs du pain gaulois dans l'empire du milieu. Sous l’œil aiguisé de professeurs attentionnés, Li Wong façonne minutieusement un petit pain torsadé. Le geste est fluide, aérien, digne d’un David Copperfield des choses du pétrin. Comme si la jeune fille avait grandi dans l’arrière-boutique d’une boulangerie hexagonale, à passer ses mercredis après-midi à mettre la main à la pâte.
La Lettre de Shanghai
25 janvier 2011 / Dernière mise à jour : 28 janvier 2011
Encore du pain sur la planche pour les "Shanghai Young Bakers"
Le projet caritatif des Shanghai Young Bakers (SYB) entame sa troisième promotion d’étudiants chinois formés à la boulangerie.
Xinhua News 新华社
面包香里传递异国爱心
2011年01月20日 20:30:08
1月20日，“小高老师”（中）在向孩子们展示如何“压面”。19岁的河南女孩金凯茹觉得自己特别幸运。9个月前，她因为付不起学费而辍学回家，和父亲在 一家餐厅打零工，苦苦支持弟弟妹妹继续读书。January 20, 2011, "Xiao Gao Lao shi" (Teacher Gao, in the middle of the photo) is showing the kids how to "press flour." 19 year-old Jin Kairu from Henan province feels that she is incredibly lucky. 9 months ago, she dropped out of school because her family couldn’t afford to pay for her tuition.
Shanghai Daily
Bakers help orphans in knead
By Nie Xin | 2011-1-18 | NEWSPAPER EDITION
TWENTY-THREE-YEAR-OLD Wang Li grew up in a poor, single-parent family in Henan Province. She quit school at the age of 16 and went to work in a toy factory in Guangzhou, capital city of southern China's Guangdong Province.
Life's no cakewalk
China Daily, 2011-01-13 08:09, By Qian Yanfeng (China Daily)
Children who have lost a parent, or both, to AIDS find hope in a project equipping them with French baking skills. Qian Yanfeng reports. When Wang Li lost her mother to AIDS when she was only 12, she felt life closing in on her. But soon a window of opportunity opened and her life started to take on a rosy glow. Now 22, Wang, who hails from Shangcai, central China's Henan province, is on the road to become a French bakery master, thanks to a free one-year vocational training course taught by French bakers in Shanghai.
Hope rises
That's Shanghai-Urbanatomy - Charity Wednesday - 05 January 2011 07:01 - by Jessica Li
Orphaned at 16 and lacking a high school education, Zhang Zhenghai started his working life in a bleak factory job, making just enough to get by. His luck changed when he joined Shanghai Young Bakers’ inaugural class. Two years later, he’s bound for France to study at the prestigious Ecole Francaise de Boulangerie d’Aurillac. “When I started this program I didn’t think that I would be on a plane to France,” says Zhang, who is now 23. “I thought maybe at the least I would be able to find a good job in Shanghai. I’m excited to see the country that inspires a lot of our desserts in China.”
SYB has been chosen by Two Cities Gallery as the beneficiary organization of this year’s Christmas party, so our young bakers are glad to invite you to come and pass a relaxing Saturday afternoon with some croissants - a festival entrée before your holidays back home.
Plus, the three students leaving for France next month for further bakery training are going to tell you their vision of a 6-month stay in l’Hexagone… by their vivid drawings!
面包香冲淡生活的苦涩
Life tempered by the scent of bread
日期：2010-12-20 作者：樊丽萍 来源：文汇报
Date: 2010-12-20, Written by FAN Liping, Published in Wenhui Bao
一群在上海工作的法国人，想在自己的这个职业生涯中转站上留下一份美好，于是开始了一场爱心接力
A group of French people working in Shanghai wishes to leave a precious memory to this stage of their professional life, and so starts a relay of love… Read more...
The Shanghaiist - Weekendist listing
Well Christmas is only 8 days away and our recent flurry of snow has definitely helped to add some festive cheer. So, as this weekend is the weekend before Christmas, it’s only right to go out and celebrate one of the last weekends of 2010 with a bang! If you need more ideas to plan your weekend around, don’t forget to check out this week’s Midweek Music Preview and our calendar. Keep warm!
(...)
Saturday
Shanghai Young Bakers (SYB) will celebrate the departure of their 3 most promising students to France this January at their Christmas Party today. The theme of the party is 'Bowl Full of Cheers,' and bowls of soup will be served to raise money for SYB. The party will also feature the sale of breads and Danish pastries made by the SYB students, a lucky draw to win many prizes, and ways to participate in the 3 students’ trip to France. Cost: 100 RMB but this includes a complimentary handmade ceramic bowl by artist Jackson Li.
2 pm Two Cities gallery, 2/F, 50 Moganshan Road, 莫干山路50号
深呼 - Shenhuxi
海上青焙坊 - Shanghai Young Bakers
December 2010
Article by Xi Xi Luna
Being deeply influenced by his father who not only practiced TaiJi and BaGua for over a decade but also has interest in Traditional Chinese Medicine, this charming man, Thomas Méron took on his job offer at the Marketing department of Schneider in China where he picked up the Chinese language rapidly. Thomas gave himself an elegant Chinese name Ma Meihong which was later changed to Ma Hongrui. Despite having stayed and worked in China for quite some time, and mastered how to read and speak Chinese, Thomas felt that there was still something missing deep down in his heart. Read more...
I’m glad to announce that the publication of our monthly newsletter has been reactivated. In this issue, I would like to invite you to a briefing of major developments the project has achieved since 2010. On behalf of all young bakers, I would like to express our gratitude for your attention and support to SYB!
Social Venture Group
Shanghai Young Bakers: Chinese Orphans Master French Baking
October 25, 2010
Shanghai Young Bakers (SYB) trains Chinese orphans aged 17 to 23 in the art of French bakery and Chinese-style western pastry making. Thomas Meron is SYB’s Project Manager and, as the only full-time staff member, he coordinates SYB’s activities and volunteer base. I spoke with Thomas to find out what’s cooking at SYB (pun intended). Read more...
On Sunday March 21st, 2010, students from Shanghai Young Bakers (SYB) went to meet the incredible pastry chef, baker and entrepreneur Brian Tan, founder of the House of Flour. With the purpose of learning how to make one of Tan’s renowned chocolate cakes, the students of SYB also had the opportunity to learn how to effectively use their skills as bakers to build a career.
My name is ZHANG Zhenghai, a student aided by Association Marcel Roux, and I come from a remote village in Baoji city, Shaanxi Province. An accident deprived me mercilessly of paternal love, but a volunteer work connected me with Association Marcel Roux. I should thank...
Hotel, a totally new concept to me. Since the day when I first stepped into Radisson Hotel, I started to have a fresh impression on it...
My name is Wu Yaguang from Zhumadian, Henan province. I’m 22 years old.
I have never been Shanghai before. I just heard about what a fantastic city Shanghai is, but I’ve never seen it with my own eyes. When I joined SYB program, my dream to Shanghai came true...
Last year I heard from one of my good friends that twelve French volunteers who were working in China were running a project called Shanghai Young Bakers which was aimed to help sixteen orphans learn bread-baking technique in order to make them stand on their own feet by their abilities and skills. When I found about that the SYB team was looking for a social educator, I decided to join the project without any hesitation...
Supermarket is a place with endless lines of clients, and for a supermarket like Gubei Carrefour, whose turnover stands out among all the supermarkets in China, attends always to numerous clients.
All of us were led by our teacher to Hotel Sofitel Hyland in the morning. Upon our arrival, there was another teacher leading us into the hall in the hotel. There were guests arriving now and then. Next, the organizer of Shanghai Young Bakers gave a speech. I know clearly that without them I would never have had this opportunity, so I’m very thankful to them...
It’s been nearly four months that the Shanghai Young Bakers project has started. The first class is more than half the way. The 16 students have already done great progress and are all proud and excited to be part of the program.
Everyone has worked hard for April exams and has been impressed by the demonstration made by M. Pascal Tepper, French Master Baker (MOF), in Shanghai in May for the Bakery China Fair. The Master Baker, supporting the project since the beginning, agreed to spend a day of his trip to teach the students and share with them his passion for French Traditional Bakery.
It’s been more than a month since the start of the training. Shanghai Young Bakers is not just a project anymore, it became a reality!
The students are here, with classes every week-end on French bakery and an internship at the partners’ every day of the week. The tutors at each partner’s are doing the best they can to teach the students the art of Bakery and to make sure of their well-being.
Students love gathering on Saturdays and learn how to make bread, while discovering the mystery of ingredients. They’re all excited by their job and the content of the training.
When you live in a foreign country -far away from your hometown- everyday is an opportunity to learn from other people, and discover a culture very different than yours. It is obviously a challenge, but at the same time and more than anything a very rare chance to do something different in your life.
For me, everyone that is offered such an opportunity should be grateful for it, and ask himself one important question : what am I giving back ?
Wishing to help underprivileged children and spread the art of traditional bakery in China, the Shanghai Young Bakers team has been engaging for nearly a year their free time and energy to launch training in bakery for Chinese orphans.
