Shangmeng’s Sweet Addition to Mana Market in India
Shangmeng with one of her cakes!
At Village Reach, our mission is to empower communities through partnerships with dreamers who dare to make a meaningful impact. We especially love seeing families work together to make their hopes a reality.
Meet Shangmeng: Paraolon’s Rising Baker
In Paraolon, India, we are excited to share the story of Shangmeng or just Meng, a talented baker and sister to our Dreamer Matthew, who will soon bring her delicious creations to Mana Market—a VR-sponsored community project set to make a positive impact in a struggling community.
Paraolon is a remote village deeply impacted by ongoing conflicts. Ethnic tensions have led to instability in the region, leaving many families with limited resources and opportunities. The isolation of Paraolon means residents have to travel long distances for everyday necessities, often at great cost and sometimes even greater risk to their safety. This is where Matt’s idea for Mana Market comes into play: a local solution providing goods, services, and economic opportunities to rebuild hope. The walls are being raised up as we speak.
Like her brother Matt, Shangmeng’s story embodies the resilience and creativity of Paraolon’s people. She describes herself as a home-based baker who has been running her bakery from home for about three years. Her journey into baking wasn’t an easy one. “There weren’t many bakeries in our town before I started, and I thought it would be a good idea to start one of my own,” she explains. But with limited financial support, Shangmeng chose to work part-time at a café to learn the basics of baking. “My boss was so kind to teach me some basics about baking and let me bake for her café for a while.”
From there, Shangmeng saved enough money to purchase a few baking tools and took to YouTube tutorials for lessons. “I started baking birthday cakes for my family first and slowly gained a few customers and more over time. Now, all by God’s grace, I have tons of people in town who love to eat my cake.”
Mana Market: Opportunity for Impact
For Shangmeng, joining Mana Market is more than a business opportunity—it’s a chance to make a meaningful impact. “I’m so thrilled and so grateful that you’ve been kind enough to consider me to join Mana Mart,” she shares. “I truly hope that my role will allow me to help advance the project’s noble mission while fulfilling my own aspirations to make meaningful impacts and make many more hearts happy.”
At Mana Market, Shangmeng plans to sell birthday cakes and pastries, with hopes of expanding her menu as she hones her craft. “If I’m able to get more baking lessons in the future, I’d love to add more varieties.” She also dreams of Mana Market becoming a hub for the community. “It would be great if Mana Market becomes a place where people could easily access goods, from simple necessities to items we rarely find here, at affordable rates and close by.”
This project is also deeply personal for Shangmeng and her family. They often tell us they prayed for seven years for an organization like Village Reach to come along, share their story, and just help. On April 15th, 1993, Matt's village was devastated during a severe ethnic and religious conflict. Their village was burned to the ground and they became refugees, but they never lost their faith. Read more about their journey here.
A photo of Matt’s sisters Shangmeng and Peiningam taken by our co-founder Chase when he visited in 2023
“My family has been so supportive all along,” Shangmeng says. “They’ve stood by me, and they even help when I need more hands. I wouldn’t find a better business partner than my brother Matt.” She believes Mana Market will help her family financially and make life easier for everyone in the community. This is our prayer too, as Mana Market is one of our economic improvement projects (read more about our three pillars).
Bringing Joy to the Table
A simply beautiful cake for “mama”
Shangmeng’s heart for others is evident in her passion for baking. “I’ve received compliments from a lot of my customers for the taste of my cakes,” she shares. “And I sell my cakes at a lower cost than the market rate, so I believe it has been pretty convenient, especially for my villagers and all my customers.”
As Paraolon continues to recover from the effects of conflict, Mana Market represents hope, stability, and unity. Through initiatives like this, we pray for brighter futures for dreamers like Shangmeng and Matthew and for the entire community.
Follow Shangmeng’s baking journey on Instagram at @shangmeng_cakesmiths. Let’s join her in praying for her dreams to come to life, for Mana Market to thrive, and for peace to reign in Paraolon.
A Sweet Surprise is Coming
Love is in the air, and we’ve been dreaming up something special just in time for Valentine’s Day! Stay tuned for a virtual bake sale featuring Shangmeng’s beautiful cakes. Whether you want to spread a whole lot of sweetness or simply make someone’s day a tiny bit brighter, this will be your chance to spread love while supporting Shangmeng’s business and the building of Mana Market.
Keep an eye on our Instagram —we’ll share all the details soon. It’s going to be an extra special way to make a difference!
Shangmeng’s special event cake being carried in
Thank you for being a part of this beautiful story! If you want to go ahead and support Mana Market and projects like it, we’ve popped the giving button below. Your dollar will go a long way to bless young entrepreneurs like Shangmeng and Matthew, who bring joy to their communities through their passions and creativity.