In Cameroon, the Sacred Heart Global Service bakery of the Priests of the Sacred Heart in Nkongsamba, managed by Brother Achille Tekadam Tiave, produces 9,000 baguettes every night thanks to the work of 16 employees. Father Stefan Tertünte, Provincial of Germany, recounts his visit to this establishment during his recent trip to Cameroon.
While the confreres at the provincial house in Nkongsamba, Cameroon, head to bed one after another, the workday for one of them is still in full swing. Brother Achille Tekadam Tiave, SCJ, is still hard at work on the premises of the congregation’s bakery, named Sacred Heart Global Service. Brother Achille has been working there for over 15 years. Over the years, he also earned a Master’s degree in Human Resources and Business Management, and has been directing the bakery ever since. In reality, he takes care of absolutely everything: from missing screws in the oven to receiving and paying for orders. And every day—or rather, every night—before the first delivery vans set off to distribute the baguettes, he conducts a random quality control check. “Every day, we produce 9,000 baguettes, but we still have room to increase our capacity,” Brother Achille shares.
A Project for Self-Financing
For the finances of the Cameroonian Province of the Priests of the Sacred Heart, these daily 9,000 baguettes are of paramount importance. Among the various initiatives launched to generate local revenue and avoid depending exclusively on donations, the bakery stands out as the flagship model. Sixteen employees work here, whether in production, delivery, or administration.
The Challenges
“The competition in town is fierce,” notes the bakery director, “but we are holding our ground. And we pay the best wages in the city.” However, this commercial war is not always fought fairly: “It sometimes happens that a technician is bribed by a competing company to cause a technical breakdown as discreetly as possible.”
Our Dream
The profits are largely set aside in reserves to acquire new machinery. The big dream? “We would like to open a branch in one of the surrounding towns. But for that, you need a lot of money,” explains Brother Achille. It is only around 1 a.m. or 2 a.m., when the first deliveries begin, that he can finally head to bed himself.
