Harvard's 19th Annual Social Enterprise Conference

For the last 19 years at Harvard University, thought-leaders, entrepreneurs, students, and business professionals have convened to dialogue, debate, and network around issues related to social enterprise.

The Social Enterprise Conference was held this year in Cambridge, Massachusetts on February 10-11. The Women’s Bakery had the opportunity to not only attend, but also to speak on a panel entitled, “Creating Economic Opportunities for Women.”

As TWB’s Director of Education & Development, I spoke about TWB’s model, our commitment to women, and the value of harnessing business for good. Moreover, when pressed to share insights or learnings for future social entrepreneurs, I shared two important concepts: 1) you have to listen to others well and 2) things will change – and that’s okay. The Women’s Bakery has changed a lot since I first began my role 2 ½ years ago and this change actually points to larger growth, maturity, and impact.

I was also shared about why working with women in Rwanda is so pressing; typically, narratives about Rwanda allude to the well-known and well-publicized female-majority parliament. However, what that statistic does not reflect is the opportunity available for all women, especially as it relates to income and business. 

The experience at the Social Enterprise Conference reminded me that in many ways The Women’s Bakery is on the cutting edge of social enterprise. We have a lot to learn, always, but we’ve also learned a lot and have put it into practice.

Social enterprise celebrates multiple bottom-lines and I am grateful to be a part of a company that is pushing this possibility forward.

That’s bread power.