Markey's Ted Talk Now Available for Streaming

Friends, family, and supporters of TWB:

It's here. 

Last year, in October, Markey delivered a Ted Talk as part of TedxGateway Arch in St. Louis.

 In her talk, Markey shared about her story in launching The Women's Bakery and also, how we can all reimagine the power of bread. 

You can view the video here. 

Watch it, share it, and spread the #breadpower. 

A Real Sign of Success

I returned to Rwanda a week ago. I’m here for several reasons: first, to support our amazing and ever-kick-ass COO, Julie Greene, in all of her work; second, to on-board two new TWB team members (stay tuned!); and third, to welcome two representatives from our corporate sponsor, Rademaker, BV, to Rwanda. I’m only in Rwanda for one month, so it will be a whirlwind of a trip.

I usually feel a combination of anxiety and excitement coming to Rwanda.

The anxiety stems from questions like: 

“Will I be able to accomplish my pre-identified tasks?”

“How much “help” can I provide, or am I really more in an oversight role?”

“How much can I actually do in a month?”

The excitement, however, thankfully and graciously, centers me to think: “Wow! Just look at how much progress we have made.” “Are you kidding me?! These women are now doing what?!” And, “Seriously, TWB team, you created this? It’s AMAZING.”

I had one of those “WOW” moments this week. I went to our bakery in Kigali to test the proper functioning of one of our ovens. I arrived and told the women, “Right, I’m going to bake some bread and test this oven. Would you like to help me?” They agreed. I began to prepare. I washed my hands and got my materials ready. Then, I realized, “Wait, where is the recipe?” I asked the women and they laughed. “We have the recipes in our heads,” they said. Impressed, but not discouraged, I said, “Wonderful! I don’t, so please pass me the recipe book.”

I started baking and one woman, Rose, laughed at me again. She said under her breath in Kinyarwanda, “You don’t know how to bake.” I stopped, stunned. Whaaaaaaat? I thought. I don’t know how to bake?! I taught you! But then the most beautiful thing happened: Rose gently pushed me out of the way and took over, still half laughing, half commenting under her breath that I didn’t know how to bake.

I stood back and realized that this was the best thing that could happen – the women were now better at baking than I was. The women were teaching me how to make bread!

If this isn’t a sign of success, I don’t know what is. And it is a testament to both the women and our incredible TWB team.

BOOM. 

Inspiration.

This blog was written by one of TWB's first and most committed supporters, Kathryn Melton. Kathryn, of Charlotte, North Carolina, is a P.A. (Physician's Assistant) at one of largest physician's group in the Charlotte, NC region. She has been friends for numerous years with TWB Founder & Co-Director, Markey Culver, especially while at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. Inspired by TWB, Kathryn hosted an Inspired Meal late this summer and continues to advocate for our work regularly. #sharetheloaf #bakebreadtogether

I first learned about The Women’s Bakery right around the time it started.

My friend, Markey, had been working in Rwanda with the U.S. Peace Corps and was trying to figure out a way to improve the nutrition of the community she was working with. She also recognized the financial struggles of those around her.

Before Markey moved to Rwanda in the first place, we were both living in St. Louis, Missouri and I remember a coffee date that involved talking deeply about Markey’s hopes and fears for her time abroad in East Africa.

How was she going to help? What was she going to bring to her community?

I don’t think she could have even imagined her life and the fulfillment of anything like TWB before she got there. Life moves us in funny ways.

The Women’s Bakery inspires me.

I truly believe that communities thrive when women are involved and successful. Women work to bring people together and are able to catalyze the communities they live in. In addition to the nutritional support the bakeries provide, there is nothing that can be compared to the empowerment of financial independence. What an amazing need TWB is helping to fulfill!

TWB women are learning skills they can take with them the rest of their lives. They are supporting their families and showing their children that they can succeed, as well. 

That’s real, sustainable change.

I am proud to be even the tiniest piece of this wonderful organization and I will continue to advocate for the lasting empowerment of women in Rwanda - and beyond.

#breadpower

The Story Behind the Logo

Slightly lopsided, with uneven cement grounding the stakes, it was still a rather perfect moment.

Perfect, because a man called Serugendo (coming from the Kinyarwanda word “urugendo”, meaning journey) was the one hammering our sign into the ground. He, with TWB guard, Steve, of course. Stick around TWB Headquarters for a while and you too will see – there’s a lot of hands, minds, and support in every nook and cranny.

In a lovely picture of irony, Meg and I stood back to admire the sign in front of us: “The Women’s Bakery.” After years of planning, learning, and dreaming – this idea of bread and empowerment was really happening. It has been a journey.

The weeks following the placement of our sign were full of interesting questions, calls, and chatter. Passersby were excited to understand more fully what we do – and it gave us an opportunity to explain. Our logo in our signature yellow-gold color was in a prominent place for all to see. The logo features a woman with outstretched arms, fingers held up, conveying the image of traditional Rwandan dance. This is a posture that represents the power of a cow with lengthy long-horns, and also alludes to celebration for harvest for the season of crops. When you see a dance like that, with dirt rising from the pounding of feet to earth, it’s an incredibly moving experience. It stirs a strength from within.

Because it is reminiscent of Rwandan dance, we received interesting inquiries about dancing lessons or performances that would be occurring at our office. These made us laugh and create another entry-point for what the symbol means and how it translates to what we do. We don’t teach dance, we would gently tell our friends, we teach women how to maintain a business, how to incorporate nutrition into her life, and how to bake bread. Rooted in empowerment, the woman in our logo channels all of these things.

And so, because we don’t teach dance, we are excited to share the real story behind the logo. The logo was crafted by Darsey Landoe, a graphic designer in Portland and friend of Markey.

Markey introduced me to so many people and experiences in Rwanda, and blew both my worldview and view of myself wide open. One thing that stood out to me was watching people dance at church one Sunday. Women, men, kids, all dancing and singing and banging a giant drum with an uninhibited enthusiasm. Not self-aware like Americans, but big, loud, clear, honest, true. Dancing for no one but themselves. That image is stamped hard in my memory. I want to live my life like they danced their dance that day. 

When Markey asked me to do the logo for TWB, I thought back to that moment in Rwanda. Markey told me the dance the women did with their arms out was meant to literally represent cows, and metaphorically represent harvest. I didn’t want a cute logo with a loaf of bread. I wanted something with meaning. That was it.