In 2004, Chennai Corporation, Chennai Culinary Institute (run by Hot Breads) and the Rotary Club of Madras East (RCME) set up Winners Bakery at Alwarpet to encourage school dropouts to be self sufficient.
The young boys and girls go through a rigorous six month course in baking, where they are taught completely free of cost. The students are also served breakfast and lunch at the premises and are given a nominal stipend every month. The bakery items prepared here are marketed under the brand ‘Winners’ and the proceeds in turn fund the club’s charitable activities.
RCME has now enrolled a new stream of students from the CSI School for the Deaf at San Thome. Jayanthi Govindan, president of RCME says, “Our idea is to bring a vocational skill to these special children and enable them to be self reliant on their abilities to lead a normal life in the society. RCME is collaborating with Rotary Club of Chennai Capital to conduct this project”.
