Celia Wang proudly shows her diploma at the graduation ceremony in July.
Photo: Yang Lan/GT
July 21 was a very big day for 20-year-old Celia Wang. That was the day the girl from Henan Province graduated. Along with her 26 classmates, Wang was given her diploma and walked out into the world a happy girl and one ready to begin a once unbelievable career as a French-style baker.
Something a few years ago she could never have imagined. In Henan Wang’s family was poverty-stricken. Her mother died when Wang was just a young girl growing up, and although her father worked hard so that she and her brother could attend school he didn’t make enough money so that she could get to high school.
Instead she went to work to make some money for the family. Her big chance at a new and different life (and a way out of poverty) came when she was chosen to join the sixth class of the Shanghai Young Bakers (SYB) program. In August 2013, Wang began learning how to make bread and pastry along with Chinese cooking, English and lifestyle lessons. After a year of study and internships working in some of the kitchens in top hotels in Shanghai, Wang was all smiles as she collected her diploma from Emmanuel Lenain, the French Consul General in Shanghai and Xu Benliang, the director of the Shanghai Charity Education and Training Center.
Enjoys her work
Wang is now a qualified baker and she enjoys her work, and especially enjoys the baguettes she can make (“they’re not too sweet and have a lovely natural flavor”). In her training year Wang had to practice making four different French breads every week – usually baguettes, croissants, country loaves and brioche.
“Baguettes and croissants are the most difficult but I really like making these because of the craftsmanship needed and the way we can ensure the crusts are perfect.”
At present Wang has had two firm job offers and she is making up her mind as to which employer she will join. “The SYB program helped me find a direction for my life and gave me a goal. I hope to do well and will work with the program and help other young people.”
The bakers’ program is one of the most obviously successful charity programs in Shanghai. But running a charity in Shanghai demands a great deal of energy and perseverance.
A selection of bread baked by Shanghai Young Bakers (SYB) students
Shanghai Young Bakers
Founded by 12 French expats in 2008, the bakers’ program trains and gives disadvantaged young Chinese a chance at employment and a full and independent life afterwards.
The program is supervised by the Chi Heng Foundation and is supported by the Shanghai Charity Foundation. “SYB has already helped about 120 young people,” project manager Floriane Lemoine told the Global Times. “We have seven partner foundations. We select students based on recommendations from our partner NGOs. The candidates need to be from 17 to 23, in good health, have no criminal records, but come from disadvantaged families and they must also be highly motivated. We interview several before deciding who to accept for training.”
Over six years the classes each year have grown from 16 students to 27. In the early days all the teachers were volunteers but since 2009 the program has trained its own teachers, sending them to France for extra tuition. SYB is now planning to work with other NGOs to develop their bakery programs.
Although the program has been acclaimed there are difficulties, Lemoine said. “Funding is one of the toughest issues. We have very limited funding. Unlike other charities that just help with school fees, we do the whole training process: we have our own teachers and we have the bakery center. So the cost per student is very high. We have no government subsidy and we find all the funds ourselves. Our sponsorship contracts are usually for one year. So after every year, we have to negotiate with the sponsors again. Some will continue with us, but some have other priorities. So basically we are looking for sponsors all the time.”
Lemoine said 80 percent of the program’s funding comes from corporate donors, like the Carrefour Foundation, the Accor Foundation, Lesaffre and the Marriott Foundation. The rest of the money comes from the program’s own commercial activities – SYB now runs bakery classes, does corporate event catering and sells specialty cakes and fancy breadbaskets.
Another problem is finding staff – it is very hard to find employees who are motivated, qualified and willing to accept low salaries.
Lemoine is happy that more people in Shanghai are helping by buying the SYB products because they are quality products and made safely and ethically.
Over the year that the students study baking at SYB they learn English in classes arranged by another city charity, Stepping Stones. On graduation night, the bakery classes performed an English-language playlet for the guests.