On Thursday, 6 March 2025, representatives of the foreign diplomatic corps, namely the Chargé d’Affaires of Canada, Deputy Head of Mission of Pakistan with her daughter, spouses of the Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Indonesia, Moldova, Romania, paid a visit to the Good Bread from Good People inclusive bakery.

The event was organised by the founder of the Ukrainian Diplomatic Spouses Association, Tetiana Sybiha, with the support of the State Enterprise ‘Directorate-General for Rendering Services to Diplomatic Missions’.

Natalia Shadrina, Director of the Good Bread inclusive platform, briefed the distinguished guests on the activities of For Good People NGO and the establishment’s dedicated work. The ideological credo of the non-standard Good Bread from Good People bakery is encoded in its very name. Indeed, this social project aims to improve the lives of people with disabilities, mental and intellectual disorders. More than 70 people with mental disabilities who are involved in the project have been given a chance for socialisation and support. For them, it is not just a job but a chance for personal fulfilment and integration into a united community. This is evidenced by the incredible team of talented and unique bakers who produce tasty bread every day.

The project also has its own art workshop, Ar/Br. Here, people with mental disabilities have access to everything they need for classical artistic practices, digital art tools, access to a library, and professional curatorial support. This environment provides even more opportunities for self-expression for people with disabilities.

During the visit, the participants toured the main premises of the bakery, heard the history of the facility’s establishment as a social initiative for people with mental disabilities, talked about the ideological values and focus areas of the project, and learned how, at the beginning of russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the inclusive bakery suspended commercial activities and became a real powerhouse, providing bread to the occupied cities of Kyiv region and frontline cities of Ukraine. After the outbreak of full-scale war, the employees baked and donated nearly 800,000 loaves of bread to the army, IDPs, and people in the liberated and frontline areas.

During the tour, the guests also got to know the intricacies of the production process and even took part in a workshop where they were involved in sifting flour, kneading dough, shaping loaves, removing them from moulds and packaging.

At the end of the tour, the guests had a chance to fully enjoy the results of their efforts by tasting the baked bread and talking to the members of the Good Bread team.

Charge d’Affaires of Canada Sean Boyd shared his impressions of the visit:

‘This week’s visit to the Good Bread hub is a highlight for me. On behalf of the Embassy and the Canadian people, I thank you for supporting this important social initiative, since such inclusive spaces where people have a chance for personal fulfilment are also important to Canadians. All people have equal rights, and I am happy to see the smiles of the bakers in the workshop while making bread.’