Sydney Bakery Offers Ben More than Just Employment Opportunities

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For many refugees and asylum seekers in Australia, finding work can take years.

At a small bakery in Sydney’s inner-west, that wait is being cut short — offering people like Ben a chance to rebuild their lives, one loaf at a time.

Inside the bakery, fruit mince pies are lined up in neat rows, each crowned with a pastry star. Among the trainees preparing festive treats for the busy holiday season is Ben, who arrived in Australia after fleeing Afghanistan.

Ben, who asked SBS News not to give his last name, is filling Christmas orders at the Bread and Butter Project in Marrickville.

“This is my inaugural Christmas down under, and today we tackled a significant order,” shared the 37-year-old enthusiastically.

A man in a black t-shirt stands behind a tray of fruit mince pies.

Ben expressed his affection for his workplace, describing it as a supportive environment reminiscent of a large family.

“Working here is a joy. Despite the demands, fatigue is never a concern because of our mutual support system,” Ben remarked.

A man in a white shirt is standing in front of a low, long table laden with bread loaves, with three women standing on the opposite side touching the loaves.

“What matters most to us is the impact we have on the lives we touch.”

Paul Allam (left) played a pivotal role in creating a modest bakery aimed at aiding Karen refugee women at an orphanage straddling the Thai-Myanmar border.

Allam said the bakery in Mae Sot is still operating and continues to provide food for the local community.

Back in Australia, he helped pioneer the Bread and Butter Project, which became part of a growing movement of social enterprises nationwide.

The $20 billion impact of Australia’s social enterprises

Australia is now home to more than 12,000 social enterprises, contributing over $16 billion to the economy, according to a recent report by Social Traders, a leading industry body for the sector.

Social Traders CEO Tara Anderson said: “Every year those social enterprises create $5.7 billion worth of impact for communities.”

“They also provide 89,000 jobs for people that would otherwise be shut out of work.”

A woman with long black hair is smiling at the camera.

Tara Anderson, CEO of Social Traders, said social enterprises create 89,000 jobs for people who would otherwise be jobless. Source: SBS / Spencer Austad

Many social enterprises are funded through trade — the products they make or sell — and often provide first jobs for people facing significant barriers to employment.

“Every year in Australia, social enterprises like the Bread and Butter Project create 16 million hours of employment for people like Ben,” Anderson said.

Bread, belonging and a pathway to work

Allam is proud of the 120 new graduates of his training program.

“I am happy to do something really positive for the community and obviously supporting refugees and asylum seekers really makes sense for me personally,” he said.

“Bread is part of many cultures, usually made from a grain that is milled and pressed and then baked. So, it is a crucial part of life.”

Among the graduates is Samia Salhab, who is now working full-time as a trainer. The mother-of-three said she is grateful for a new start in Australia after fleeing the civil war in Syria.

A man wearing a hair net and a black t-shirt stands next to a woman holding a loaf of bread.

Samia Salhab (right) and Ben work closely at Sydney’s Bread and Butter project. Source: SBS / Sandra Fulloon

“It is a responsibility, a big responsibility to teach the trainees and many are from different cultures,” the 45-year-old said.

“Although we don’t share the same language, we speak in English and communication is very important here.

“Like Ben, most want to work hard and learn.”

CEO Eva Rabanal said at the heart of the project is a broad-based training approach.

“Our participants get hands-on training on baking bread and pastry as well as wraparound support, such as one-on-one English tutoring and general help in Australian life,” she told SBS News.

Staff earn full wages, and by the end of three months’ training, each is placed in a permanent job in food and catering. Some even go on to open their own business, she said.

“Our program is life-changing. Many would not be able to secure ongoing work on their own without our support,” she said.

For Ben, bread has been central to his survival since fleeing Afghanistan 13 years ago.

For more than a decade, he lived in Indonesia, making Middle Eastern flatbread to earn money for shared housing in and around the capital, Jakarta.

Ten weeks ago, he moved to Australia on a humanitarian visa. Without friends or family, he described it as a “lonely time”.

“It was a big challenge for me, actually, to find a job. I saw others going to work each day and it was a stressful time for me,” he said.

“So, now I am very happy to work here, and Samia is teaching me everything.”

A man holding a raw bread loaf inside a bakery.

Although still a new hire, Ben has already earned a reputation for focus and motivation. Source: SBS / Sandra Fulloon

At the bakery, Ben is learning new skills through hands-on training. Although still a new hire, he has already earned a reputation for focus and motivation.

“Ben is an exceptionally good worker, and we would love to keep him on, but he also probably needs to go out eventually and get a different job so he can grow and earn a little more money,” Allam said.

Looking ahead, Ben hopes to one day open his own business. For him, baking bread is more than a skill — it’s a way to give back in his new home.

“I make bread with love and I hope people feel that when they eat it.”