but I want to buy flour

Person A: The price of fuel has increased.
Person B: But I want to buy flour.

While it may be true that flour is used in preparing bread and not fuel. The fact remains that our flour is produced in Kampala and transported to Arua, Uganda, seven hours north. It is in Arua that we purchase most of our supplies, including flour for our bakery. This is where the price of fuel affects the price of flour.

The misunderstanding:

For many of the Sisters, if an item was 60,000 USH ($34.00) two months ago, there is no explanation as to why this week that exact item is 72,000 USH ($41.00). Granted the increase is a bit steep, but we live in a part of the world with little or no price regulation, complemented by a volatile political and economic situation; we are subjected to producers, transporters, store-owners and border control. Or even more confusing is when the ugandan shilling loses value over the dollar, but I won’t get into that.

We are at the mercy of Indian and Pakistani shopkeepers, whose prices fluctuate according to fuel prices, food prices, and their personal demands. Basically, it’s playing monopoly; but where each player is allowed to determine their own fees. Unfair, yes, but it’s also reality. There must be a sufficient amount to cover the actual cost and extra for their pockets.

So, yes, flour is used to make bread. But when the store owner is charged additional transportation fees to cover the rising cost of fuel, the price of the flour he sells will obvious increase to offset the difference; and yes, despite the fact that we have been buying flour from him for the past three years, he will raise the price of flour.

Clearing up these economic confusions within our Canossian community isn’t easy. Many of us haven’t left the village in years; thus comprehending the outside world and its pace of change isn’t always an easy adjustment. This is the life of our bakery. We have our ups and downs and we have people in position who know what they’re doing and people who don’t. C’est la vie…
Today, we are out of debt, negotiated a new recipe, trained an additional Baker, and employed a local Mama for preparing waffles every day. We have also embarked on a Think Global, Act Local campaign; using a substance similar to flour that is made locally, farine de manioc.

And please don’t worry, the bakery will survive! What we need is to run on solar power. I purchased a month’s supply of diesel for the generator and even I wanted to cry at the price.

Here are our Bakers—Atsidri & Félix.

Félix just became a Dad for the first time!!! His son’s name is Dieu Donné (God Gives)!!