Country’s first bakery with employees who have mental disorders opens in Minsk

Dobraye Pechyva is the first bakery in the country where almost all employees have mental disorders. Journalists talked to its owner and listened to the touching stories of the bakery workers, according to belarusfeed.com.

The idea of helping people with special needs slowly crystallized in Dmitry Bogdanov’s mind after his close friend became disabled and experienced difficulties in finding a job for years.

A personal story inspired him to start a business that would engage disabled people, make them feel useful and happy in the first place. Dmitry has spent much time thinking over the concept.

Of the twenty candidates, only five workers were selected. Some changed their minds, others could not collect all the necessary documents – a sanitary book, permission to work from a medical rehabilitation board. All employees have different diagnoses: schizophrenia, epilepsy, mental retardation. 

The small bakery produces three types of cookies – chocolate, oatmeal and cheese – made with natural ingredients. More types and tastes are expected to appear in the future. For instance, cookies made of cricket flour with a lot of protein to please healthy lifestyle followers.

Dmitry Bogdanov has a dream, he wants to open several bakeries around the country to attract people not only with mental disorders but with autism spectrum disorders and Down syndrome.