After Cherelle Charles lost her job and could not provide for her daughter, she was driven to the brink of suicide. But her decision to start making doughnuts and her daughter’s love for her baking gave her life a purpose. And after helping underprivileged people in her community of Rus ter Vaal in Emfuleni, she launched Doughnut Fairy this year.
“I initially offered to bake doughnuts and sell them for the Padkos Food and Clothing Drive to contribute to food packages for the underprivileged in our community,” Charles told Vutivi News. “My friends, family and community took an extreme liking to my doughnuts and this encouraged me to register it as a business and start selling.”
Charles said that she did not think that selling doughnuts would be a success. “However, when orders for doughnuts started coming in large numbers I was motivated to start and I have never looked back,” she said. The Doughnut Fairy sells its sweet treats in the Vaal Triangle, including Meyerton and Vanderbijlpark.
“Many people love the doughnuts that I coat with Dairy Milk & white chocolate,” Charles said. “There are also some that have mint toppings and rose gold toppings that go with caramel and white chocolate too”. Charles told Vutivi News that her daughter remained one of her biggest fans. “My daughter means everything to me and is the reason why I get up every day and bake,” she said.
“As a single mother, it was devastating when there was no income. At least with the business, I am able to pay my bills and take care of my daughter. “Nothing is more important to me than she and I want to succeed so that she can be proud and look up to me and do bigger and better things,” Charles said.
Initially, Charles struggled with capital for her business. But she was able to turn the tide by requesting a 50% deposit from her customers, which in turn helped her buy stock. “What I enjoy the most is getting positive feedback from my clients and hearing them say how my doughnuts really make their day,” she said.
