Why Giving Matters: An Inside Look at TWB's Approach

At The Women’s Bakery, we view our supporters as not just believers of our work in Rwanda, but as investors in our model. By being both believers and investors, donors can expect transparency – about where we have been, and where we are going.

During 2017, our team pushed hard to launch two of our new bakeries: Ndera and Kagina. These launches brought our network of bakeries to four within Rwanda. As we have monitored, tested, and learned from these business enterprises, we have realized that our original model of women-owned bakeries isn’t working the way we thought it would. And, because of this, we are responding.

In 2018, we are pivoting to an TWB-ownership model. We will acquire and own the existing bakeries in Rwanda to install TWB-trained managers for an unbounded period of time and provide the women what they’re asking for: jobs and job security. Our TWB managers will follow production and sales goals set by our senior management team to achieve profitability. We will set a runway for the success of these bakeries, and, frankly, to do this, we will need a lot of oversight, work, grit, and vision.

Getting a bakery to profitability requires investment.

Getting multiple bakeries to profitability calls for even more investment.

We can do it – we know it. Our goal for 2018 is to enhance everything that we are doing:

We will continue to ensure that TWB women have jobs and have the opportunity to quadruple their incomes.

We will continue to provide extremely affordable and highly nutritious products to the Rwandan communities our bakeries serve.  

And, with YOUR support, we will continue to work to make sure that these bakery businesses are optimized and thus, sustainable for future operations.

If you are inspired and would like to support our work, you can join us in our Crowdrise Campaign that is eligible for matching funds from Newman’s Own Foundation. Every gift matters and makes a difference. That’s breadpower.