Harriet, Catherine and Deanne | Day 4

After the trials of yesterday we approached today determined to be positive. There may have been problems yesterday but we do now know how to correct them and prevent them reoccurring.

Sweet things are definitely more popular with our Rwandan bakers and despite many searches we have been unable to find any wholemeal flour so we decided to adapt a recipe for hot cross buns replacing fruit with orange zest. In addition, keen to use local ingredients Deanne demonstrated a banana loaf. Our bakers are quick learners and need less and less instruction.

We have learnt to dovetail proving bread with starting another recipe. This avoids waiting time and keeps the girls hands - on busy for as much as possible during the four hour session.

Success! By12.30 we had four banana loaves and six hot cross bun style loaves (now called Rwandan Holy Bread).

Everyone in Munazero House seemed very excited with our project today and so much so that when David suggested it was time for Felicien to go home for lunch he replied that he would rather stay here as ours smelled better!

Catherine and David led a healthy discussion with our bakers on taking the project forward and managing their accounts and developing a potential market. It was heartening to see their enthusiasm and gratitude.

We spent the afternoon visiting graduates from The Street Children's Project that have all managed to find work or set up their own businesses in the sewing industry (it was eye opening to see the hive of activity going on behind the main Kamembe High Street). Interestingly all three graduates that we spoke to felt the key to their success to finding work was Rwanda Aid's generosity of a start up pack (a sewing machine) given to them when they graduated.

We are heartened to hear that our bakers will benefit too from RA. The oven and equipment that we bought for their course will be on loan for three to six months to help them set up their baking business. If they succeed there is a promise of investing in a wood fired bread oven for them to use.

After a cup of tea we set off with David to visit the Sisters of St Francois of Assisi at the disability centre they run by the border of the Congo. This is an amazing facility where very disabled children receive intensive physiotherapy for up to three months at a time. There is also vocational training and we saw shoe making of a particularly high standard. Afterwards we went on to visit the Mount Cyangugu Medical Centre and had a tour by Dr Mark. We saw the wonderful support this centre offers the local community treating patients with TB, Malaria, delivering babies and treating HIV.

Now off to the Emeralde Hotel for supper with David. No view of The Congo tonight as we have lightening, thunder and torrential rain.