The project


We were looking for an idea which would present an all year round occupation for the patients. Good quality baked goods were rare and hard to get in Beijing at the end of the year 2004. It was Yvonne’s idea and conviction that a bakery would be a meaningful occupation as well as a profitable business for the patients, with us supporting them with the marketing.

A private donations appeal with friends in China and Europe made it possible to transform several rooms in the hospital to a small bakery.


In addition we purchased two industrial size ovens, one fermentation oven, a mixing machine, a scale, air conditioning and stoves, and furnished the room with working tables and chairs. We also purchased bowls, spoons, kitchen towels, storage Tupperware, baskets for selling the goods, wrapping material, and more.

While working in the bakery all patients are wearing a work uniform, i.e. white hats and jackets.



Recipes were tried out and some patients trained as “bakers”. The hospital cook helps the patients with the preparation of the dough, the baking and the use of the oven.



Recognition and Improving of the Living Circumstances by Baking

By working in the bakery and selling “their” products the patients receive a personal recognition. Every patient participating in the project receives a monthly “salary “ of RMB 80 (ca. 8 Euros or ca. 10 US$). This equals almost the maximum amount the patients need to improve their monthly provision requirements, for example by being able to buy additional fruit or non-alcoholic beverages other than water.

The sale of the baking goods amounts to a profit of approximately RMB 1000 (100 Euros or 120 US$) per week. This sum might seem small by European or US standards but must be viewed in relation to the salaries in China. For example a worker in China makes an average of RMB 600 (60 Euros or 75 US$) a month, and the patients currently pay a monthly fee of RMB 800 (80 Euros or 100 US$) for housing, nursing, food and medication.

We have two different cash-boxes. One contains sponsoring money, the other one the sales profits. The donations are used for supplies for the bakery or other hardware; the patients decide themselves which new acquisitions for the hospital they want to purchase. Here we make sure those will benefit all the patients and not only the few bakers.


What has been achieved so far?

In agreement with the patients and with the consent of the hospital administration crazy bake uses all the profits to improve the living circumstances for the patients in the hospital. The safe keeping and administration of the money is being handled by partners of the project not working at the hospital.

With this modus operandi the following acquisitions have been made so far: