We have known Nusra for more than 10 years and over the course of many trips to Tanzania, East Africa. We were doing project work in the dusty rural village of Longido in the northernmost part of the country; Nusra was the young “house girl”, just out of secondary school, hired to cook and clean in the house where we rented a room. Initially shy to speak, but taking everything in, Nusra improved the little English she knew through the informal conversations we had.

When offered the chance to study, Nusra said she would like to be a cook. After working hard at coursework for two years, she graduated at the top of her class then was fortunate to be employed by a Longido guesthouse as the cook she always dreamed she could be.

For nine years in her capacity as head chef, Nusra worked long days preparing meals for individuals, and large and small groups. During this time she also married and became the mother of two small children. Nusra’s steady employment enabled her to take out loans to create other small sources of income to support her family.

Then in January 2017 Nusra received the worst possible news. With outstanding loans and a family to raise, Nusra was one of four staff who were told their jobs and salaries were being reduced to half time due to the need to downsize and restructure. They were told even more changes might still be necessary. Nusra felt like her world had collapsed.

In rural Tanzania, if you don’t seize every opportunity that comes your way, you could quickly become another poverty statistic. Nusra knows this and is willing to take on extra work to help herself, and others like her, who have been downsized or are without employment. We want to offer Nusra an opportunity so she and other women and their families can work and meet their family's expenses for food, housing, and education.

Nusra’s skills as a cook are well known in the town of Longido. She enjoys experimenting and creating new dishes in the kitchen. Her pizza - made without the use of an oven - is a dream come true of flavours familiar to Westerners! There is an ever growing number of government, hospital, and NGO workers living and working in the Longido area who want to enjoy the varied tastes of the places they have come from, as well as try new dishes. Providing this service would definitely be making available something not already in town. Nusra’s proposed new business, Blessing Bakery, would be the first establishment in Longido to make such variety accessible.

Nusra’s training, years of experience in the kitchen, and her work with colleagues and the public, in addition to her sheer determination to provide for her family, are a perfect combination for the success of this new venture. Blessing Bakery, as a micro business for women, can start small by employing Nusra full time and other village women part time. This will offset the loss in salary and benefits she is faced with, and provide basic income for others. Blessing Bakery will be a place where local women can work with Nusra to learn new skills, including how to operate a successful small business.

What will be needed to start are basic baking necessities like a stove, fridge, and freezer; tables; baking pans and utensils; basic food supplies; a building for cooking in, and for preparing and storing the food. Ten thousand Canadian Dollars ($10,000 or 17,000,000 TSH) will enable Blessing Bakery to be up and running within a few months.

We hope you will join with us and be part of this opportunity to help a small circle of women and their families in Tanzania. On behalf of Nusra and the women she hopes to employ, thank you for considering this important request.

Marian Roks and Jo Marchant