We are Strong Women Baking Bread

My journey with The Women’s Bakery started before The Women’s Bakery was The Women’s Bakery. My first conversation about joining the team was when TWB was actually RWB – the Rwanda Women’s Bakery. Markey and Julie were looking to launch the brand and the organization, and they wanted me in.

I wanted in too – but I was hesitant.

I was not sure that I wanted to continue to live in East Africa. I was not sure where my career was headed. I was also pulled in other directions; family issues were continuing at home and I felt that I needed to be there. I was also exploring aspects of my own identity that I knew could be problematic if I was to remain in East Africa, specifically Rwanda. 

And so, I passed on the offer. It is crazy to think about, but yes, I turned the job down. Luckily, though, it was not the end of my journey with TWB. Just a few months later, at a low-lit bar in Denver, Julie encouraged me to circle back around with Markey.

“You should really touch base with her…there still could be a place for you,” she told me.

Under a year later, I found myself flying back to Rwanda as a full-time employee with the company. We had just incorporated in the United States and I was the U.S. Program Officer. I was not entirely sure what this meant, but I was bold, ready, and enthusiastic to launch a social enterprise that created access to education and employment.

We hit the ground running.

In my first few months with the organization, we registered the company in Rwanda and began to set our bank accounts up. We re-vamped the curriculum to be more robust and inclusive. We hired our first Rwandese team member. In doing so, I realized how much I had always loved building things. Much was the same when I had started Arkansas’ first NCAA field hockey team at Hendrix – building from the ground up requires grit, stamina, and courage. Myself – and my team members – had this.

After several months in Rwanda, I returned home to Denver to launch our organizational presence at the Posner Center for International Development. Along with Markey, I helped implement the beginnings of our non-profit administration, including systems for financial tracking, donor processes, and marketing touch-points. Sometimes, when we look back at some of the initial content that we put together, it’s hard not to laugh. Not because it is not good – but because it illustrates how far we have come.

In the first years of working with TWB, I had to learn the art of working amidst ambiguity. We shifted our model multiple times, altered our approach, and had to consistently re-visit the essence of our mission and vision. Yet, I appreciate these times because it was in these spaces I learned how to strategize, how to use my voice to shape organizational culture, and how to share leadership with other bad-ass women. I started working for TWB when I was 26 and now, at 29, I can safely say that I am a very different woman (and definitely for the better).

Something happens when you work endlessly for the autonomy and choice for others – especially women. You begin to believe that all that you are advocating for (education, opportunity, etc.) applies to you. That is a powerful realization. I began to believe this and make changes in my life. These changes have altered how I live, and I can say, without question, that I am a much more grounded, confident, and assured person because I have integrated choice and autonomy into my everyday living.

What has kept me going the past several years is the power of women. Even from afar, I know that the women working at TWB bakeries are capitalizing (literally) on the opportunities they have received. They are doing the work. They are generating incomes. They are using their education. Many non-profits boast about what they have done for the populations they have worked with. At TWB, we boast about the women that work in our bakeries. They are the story. It is not about us – it’s about the larger work of social enterprise and business actually working for good.

I will miss all of this as I step away from The Women’s Bakery.

After 3+ years of work, I am shifting my career into mental health. I started Counseling school back in January and it is one of the best things I have done. I am learning the ins-and-outs of mental health, well-being, and therapeutic relationships, and it is necessary for me at this time to integrate this into my career. That being said, I take all that I have learned and experienced at TWB with me. I take the lessons (both the successes and failures) and hold them dear.

From my time at TWB, I have come to see that failure is a necessary, important step to growth. I recognize that change is a part of the process. I continue to see that human relationships can take you far further than perfectly curated plans (though those help too). I understand now that moving through the “hard stuff” is required if any sustainable impact will be achieved. And genuinely, I have realized that if you trust the process, incredible (and surprising things) will happen. Essentially, it is good and healthy to dream.

I could not have imagined TWB as it is today. And, it is not even just the bakeries or the number of women we have employed. What has surpassed my imagination is the staying power of a model that works. A model not built on the agendas of others, but a model that exists to operate and function for both impact and accountability.

I am humbled by what this idea has become and have been honored to be a part of its development. We are Strong Women Baking Bread – and I look forward to seeing this continue to grow, revolutionize, and change the world.

#breadpower

Building the Plane

At The Women’s Bakery, I work with an incredible team of individuals. Singular people represent entire departments of our business, from Human Resources to Finance to IT to Logistics and Operations, launching and supporting bakeries all over East Africa.

Many of you may have heard the expression “building the plane as you fly it.” I, quite frankly, could suggest that that expresssion sums up a large majority of my daily experiences at The Women’s Bakery in Kigali, Rwanda. As the Program Manager for our Kigali Flagship Bakery and Café, I, along with our renaissance team, have been building our plane as we go. From design and menu to operations systems, accounting systems, inventory systems, customer care manuals and standards, health intervention policies, protocol for working with other businesses, tour packages,  the list continues for days as to the elements of our Flagship plane that we continue to grow, expand and invest in.  

It’s really quite an exciting time to be a part of The Women’s Bakery. Our goals right now include focusing on proving our model and reaching profitability at all of the bakeries we own. It’s seemingly an ever chagning target with one very real win in mind—to provide truly sustainable, gainful employment for women. Bakeries are our medium, good business is our standard, and women’s empowerment is our end game. But that takes time, resources, management, skills transfer, systems, cashflows—the extent of which I might say has surprised us all.

But here’s the best silver lining there is—by building the plane as we fly it, we get to build the best darn businesses possible as well as develop and advance our own professional skills. We are truly the experts in the nitty gritty. We are the pilots who never lack the investment or zeal to see the manufacturing of this beast through. We bust through barriers on a daily basis as we seek to build around the details that unfold. We adapt, innovate, and lead together. As we climb in altitude,  we are confident that an entire team of women (and men) will fly in the sleekest, cutting edge plane on the market, bursting through the clouds with resilience and pride.

Entrepreneurship requires grit, courage and patience. As a business, we must continue to build, even when we can’t find the parts or the entire model shifts (plane, business, or otherwise).  

What is your #breadpower? What social impact are you passionate about that requires you to build your own plane? 

 Let the women of The Women’s Bakery inspire you—it can be done. It is being done. We may not have always been experts in plane (or bakery) building, but our team has worked hard in creating the plane you see today. It’s a journey none of us may have expected, but here we are flying in it.

Where will your plane take you?  

The Best Solution Against Malnutrition in East Africa

Written by: Charlotte Musengimana, current TWB Bakery Operations Manager Intern

Have you ever meet with a child who is affected by malnutrition disease?

If yes, how did you feel? If no, what could you do to avoid it?

Some children in Africa, and specifically, Rwanda, are poorly fed because they are not consuming foods that provide the proper nutrients for growing. This is a serious problem as malnutrition can lead to serious effects for children, and especially as they become adults.

Good news!

The Women’s Bakery (TWB) is coming throughout East Africa as a social change maker to train and empower women how to source local ingredients FOR healthier, more nutritious products.

Women that go through the TWB training program receive knowledge to bake the best nutritious bread for their family and serve it to the community for an affordable price.

In this work, TWB is hoping to improve the standards of life for the women we work with, and eventually, for those whom consume our bread.

To prevent malnutrition in Africa, lets gather together with this opportunity from TWB by supporting these women who are the backbone of their families.

There are so many ways to support: through buying at least one piece of bread every day, or through supporting our programs so we can do this work.

 Enjoy life with healthy bread!

Knowledge Sharing at TWB

Last week, our Gicumbi Training Group came to TWB’s Kigali Flagship for a tour, so they could learn from TWB’s first graduates in Kigali.

The idea behind the visit was to see how work flows within a TWB Bakery and the baking techniques that are used. Also, our team knew it would be powerful for trainees to listen and hear stories and testimonies from current employees.

Two things that amazed me while I was leading this visit in Kigali.  

First, I was impressed to see how our Kigali women were confidently teaching the newer trainees. The second experience that was particularly inspiring was to hear testimonies that were shared.

To see trainees teaching other trainees – this is the true sign of empowerment. If women who were trained three years ago are now teaching the new trainees, that is a huge success and transformative milestone.

Kigali women were able to show to the new (Gicumbi) trainees how to make different bread products in different shapes. The Gicumbi women were also excited and inspired by the words of encouragement from women who have been with TWB for three years.

At TWB, we believe that transformation can truly happen once women can transfer the skills and knowledge they gained to their children or their neighbor.

That is now happening.  

One women from Gicumbi, Uwimana, said, “It was my first time to see the capital city of Kigali and it was amazing to see the women baking good breads and good shapes. If they started just like us and they are now making these nice products, then so shall we.”

That is #breadpower.

Bread Travels: Madrid, Spain

I’m continuously inspired by just how international The Women’s Bakery’s work is becoming.

On average, we receive between two to four emails a week from people all over the world requesting our model – or a portion of it – to implement in their community. South Africa, Botswana, Uganda, Kenya, Iran, Iraq, The Caribbean, Honduras, and India, just to name a few this year.

What’s exciting about these inquiries is, simply, that they exist. There are people around the world who, like us, had similar revelations that bread could be a powerful medium for women’s empowerment. They see that bakeries can spur an economic ecosystem – meet product demand and support employment for an entire chain of new workers. It’s powerful. Not because bakeries are a new thought, bread is as ancient as it gets, but because people see power in the ripple effect that one small bakery can have.  

The international inspiration continued when, two weeks ago, Julie Greene and I had the opportunity to present The Women’s Bakery’s work to a wonderful audience in Madrid, Spain. Spain! How many people who run a small (but mighty) social enterprise get invited to present on a continent where they don’t (currently) operate? So cool.

The idea for the event began a year ago when Julie’s family friend, Pablo Martinez , suggested that people in Spain would be very interested to learn more about our work. Julie jumped at the opportunity and the planning began. Pablo is the CEO of Colección SOLO, a firm dedicated to showcasing the vibrancy and inspiration of contemporary art.  He and his SOLO amazing team organized and executed a beautiful event showcasing TWB to a diverse, engaged audience. We presented at SOLO’s newly constructed, gorgeous art gallery and the evening was buzzing with excited conversation, ideas and inspiration.

This year is the first time we have had the opportunity to present to secondary and tertiary audiences. That means that no one in the audience, other than our one contact, knows us or is directly connected to us. It also means that people have the space to be more critical because they don’t have a personal investment in one of our team members. But, the enthusiasm in Madrid was palpable. People were so energized by TWB’s work and inspired by our vision.

When this happens – and the vision for the power of bread spreads – we are reminded of the why of what we do. We can’t wait to go back to Spain – and beyond!

The Proof is in the Women

The last few months at TWB Rwanda have flown by, full of successes and challenges both large and small. When asked about our model and what we are achieving, most interested listeners get it – women are benefiting from vocational education and sustainable employment, communities are benefiting from affordable access to nutritious breads, and economies are benefiting from TWB’s local sourcing and local sales.

Visible progress is sometimes slow, but it’s there. You need only look at a simple photo journey following our Kigali bakery group from training, to their first bakery location, then on to the second, and now finally to the Flagship Café, to SEE how much we have grown and accomplished since 2015. And that is only one of our four operating bakeries in Rwanda, with our fifth cohort midway through training and getting ready for bakery launch in June!

Starting with just a framework of ideas and a big vision in 2015, TWB has successfully employed over 40 Rwandans in our network bakeries and headquarter offices, and we continue to grow.

It is therefore surprising when some people don’t get it. Take one government official who asked if our bread was sold in the major grocery stores of Kigali (where, by the way, it would not be remotely affordable). Upon hearing that we sell most of our bread in the local markets (where, by the way, it is highly affordable) he proclaimed that we are clearly not a successful business and don’t belong here. Or, another official who, in response to our queries about tax breaks for small enterprises and social businesses, said we should just export our goods in order to succeed … that would defeat the purpose of improving local nutrition by making affordable products accessible to the base of the market pyramid (and it’s fresh bread?) but nevermind. Not everyone gets it. However, TWB is not deterred.

The proof is in the bread, and in the women, and in our team. Our newly opened Flagship in Kigali is the perfect example of what we can achieve with a dedicated team, some sweat and tears, and the motivation of empowering and sustainably employing women.

#strongwomenbakingbread #breadpower #cantstopwontstop

A TWB PHOTO STORY: FROM 2015 TO NOW

Training in Remera, 2015. 

Baking with our old oven during training, 2015. 

The first site for TWB's Kigali Bakery, 2016.

Operations and sales at the Kigali Bakery, 2016.

Building the TWB Brand: Strong Women Baking Bread, 2017. 

Baking at our new flagship bakery (with new ovens!), 2018

Morning production in the kitchen, 2018. 

Soft launch of the new flagship bakery with Fran, our Marketing and Bakery Operations Coordinator, 2018. 

Small Incremental Change – The Path to Sustainable Change

Most non-profits want to show their impact with numbers. Big numbers. And, in a short period of time.

Stakeholders want people trained in the 1,000s or 10s of thousands. Stakeholders want number of lives touched in the millions. However, all too often, those numbers do not account for the depth of impact and confuse a small touch with programming to mean big change for that individual, their families, or their communities.

At TWB we have questioned the traditional numbers and goals for these numbers that non-profits use.

Some of the questions we asked ourselves were:

1. Will the women who go through TWB training ACTUALLY be able to get a job with the skills they learned?
2. Will that job allow them to work EVERY DAY, indefinitely, and slowing increase their salary?
3. Will they ACTUALLY be making more money than when they started training?
4. Will they ACTUALLY have access to healthcare?

This is what we have been trying to prove over two years later. And, the answers are yes.

1. 100% of women who go through our training program are offered jobs after training in TWB owned or managed bakeries.
2. Employment in TWB owned or managed bakeries is every day, six days a week, all months of the year (excluding public holidays).
3. On average, women working in TWB owned or managed bakeries make 2x their pre-bakery salaries from their first day of employment. 
4. 100% of women at TWB owned or managed bakeries have access to health insurance and monthly mental health counseling as benefits to their employment.

However, this is not without a tremendous amount of both financial and human capital invested. It is through the hard work of an entire team of 12 Rwanda-based employees and interns that execute and operate our programs.

We have realized the power of our impact on just one woman.

We believe that small, incremental change is a strong indicator of sustainable change. Our team is proud of all the hard work we have contributed to making a difference in the lives of the women we work with.

Opening & Launching the TWB Café Shop and Flagship Bakery

Next Monday is a critical day for The Women’s Bakery: we are officially opening up our flagship location with a soft launch. We can hardly believe that it is finally here!

When we started the bakery at Remera, our endeavors were challenging. However, after moving to our flagship bakery, I can see (and know) that our future is bright.

Together, for the last several months, we have been working together to achieve our mission of launching our Kigali Flagship. It would not have been possible with the passion, energy, and inspiration of our staff at TWB.

With the launch of the café shop and new bakery, our goal is to expand production and volume for our bread products. Ultimately, this will support our biggest goal: bakery profitability.

Since I joined the team in 2016, I have seen many positive changes in the organization. The move to the flagship feels like the biggest accomplishment so far, and because of that, I am positive, but also confident.

We have taken many small steps that have led to this big step. This is bread power.  

TWB Rwanda's 2nd Annual Team Retreat

written by TWB Operations Intern, Martha Mukakalisa

On the 24th of January, The Women’s Bakery team in Rwanda held our annual retreat in Gisenyi (Rubavu District).

All together, we were a team of 12, all as staff and interns working with The Women’s Bakery. We had the added benefit of also having the founder of TWB (Markey Culver) and co-founder (Julie Greene), too.

The main purpose of the retreat was to review how 2017 went what we want 2018 to look like. This was achieved through presentations on organizational culture, alignment, project reports, and updates on marketing plans, curriculum updates, and model adaptations.  

During the retreat conversations and sessions, we were sure to always come back to the overall mission and vision of our organization: TWB exists to create access to education to ensure sustainable gainful, employment for women, and for improved health for the women (as well as the communities in which we work).

We also had time to build relationships on the through playing some engaging games, providing feedback to one another, and of course, sharing food together. Aime, our Training Manager, led many of these team-building sessions, and with 12 people, it was a great way to enhance camaraderie on our team.

At the end of the retreat we revisited the mission and the vision of TWB as well as the goals of 2018.

The goals of 2018 are big: to bring the existing bakeries to breakeven and profitability, to test the proposed model for success at Gicumbi (the new bakery), and to ensure that the bakeries consistently produce and sell high quality and nutritious products.

How to Exist in Ambiguity – and Make It Work

Working for a start-up is sexy, exciting, and….hard.

I’ve been with The Women’s Bakery since 2015 and because of this, I’ve had the remarkable fortune of working on a team that is collectively, and foundationally, creating something. We are on the front lines of innovation and changing the way non-profits run. We are refining our hybrid (non-profit and social enterprise) model so that we not only enable access to education for women, but that the education inherently provides the skills needed for women to launch and manage their business: bakeries.

But, what happens in year 2? Years 3 and 4? In the fine, grey areas of “growth” “roll-out” and “prototype”?

As our CEO, Markey calls it: Death Valley. Typically, this term is synonymous with start-ups that have negative cash flow in the early stages, even before bringing their product to their customers.

So, what happens when the product is a sustainable business, inclusive of our vocational education program?

What happens is this: ambiguity.

We, as a team have to boldly move forward in spaces that we don’t always have the answers for. We have to try new ways to deliver business education and in turn, new ways to run our ownership model for these businesses. For many, this could be uncomfortable as not having all the answers is hard when you’re working in an environment that demands it. Moreover, when we look to strategy, and create action items around how we can begin, officially, our program in the United States with refugees, we do so, knowing that “pivoting” and “distilling” will be a part of the process – just like it is in Rwanda and throughout East Africa.

So, how do we survive in this? How do we exist when there are many uncertainties?

We press on.
We acknowledge that we will know more – and soon.
We dream. We plan. And, then, we dream again, constantly committed to the vision set forth – even if you go about it in an unexpected way.  

We continue our work because we’ve seen the impact.

Our dream (mission and vision) – what we are doing now – is to empower women through education and business.

This guides us, anchors us, and holds us even in the seasons of our company that are less clear.

We will make it through Death Valley because we can. We will make it because The Women’s Bakery brings something new to the table: proof of concept, robust methods, tailored education, commitment to oversight, and, grit.

With The Women’s Bakery, we’re only just beginning.

With four bakeries in Rwanda started and two in Tanzania, there is still more to come.

The model is getting stronger. And, so are we. 

Global Health Corps Fellowship with TWB

First, I squealed, then I teared up: this was finally happening.

Several months ago, I received word that after a six-month application process I had been accepted into the 2017-2018 Global Health Corps Fellowship cohort and was placed at The Women’s Bakery, in Rwanda. I was thrilled, excited, and ready. After months of consideration, it was humbling and energizing to know that I was going to move forward with work that motivates and inspires me.

In September 2016, I moved to Rwanda with the intention of working in health development. Just before leaving the United States, a good friend of mine mentioned a great organization working to empower women through baking: The Women’s Bakery. This friend of mine knew TWB Founder & Co-Director, Markey, from Furman University. As she told me more, I thought I should check it out.

After arriving in Kigali, I quickly engaged with TWB Staff, Meg and Julie, and was intrigued and motivated by the work that TWB was doing with vocational training and business launch. Simultaneously, I heard about the fellowship with Global Health Corps, a program that offers fellowships to those interested in working in the field of global health. I began an application. After months of interviews and documentation, the opportunity I had been waiting for was here! I was working for TWB. It was real, and it was happening.

Now, as Nutrition Coordinator for The Women’s Bakery, I am working on nutrition and health programming at bakeries in Kigali and beyond. I am so enthusiastic to see the impact The Women’s Bakery is having in the communities of which we work.

From women’s health, to mental health, to home health, we have so many programs and ideas to improve the lives of the women we serve. I’ve been given the opportunity to see at a ground level what training and engagement with a group of women can accomplish.

On a daily basis, lives are being impacted one muffin or roll at a time, and I can’t wait to continue to be a part of the change being made through The Women’s Bakery.

TWB's Pilot Campus Chapter

Written by Alayna Davis, TWB A&M's Chapter President

Last spring, The Women’s Bakery launched our pilot campus chapter at Texas A&M University. We started off as a small group of officers, brainstorming what a TWB campus chapter would look like. We are now a thriving organization with over 40 members who love and believe in The Women’s Bakery’s mission and vision!

As a campus chapter, our goals are to raise awareness and funds for The Women’s Bakery as well as to educate Texas A&M students and our community about topics such as women’s empowerment and social enterprise.

Our Finance Officer, Kelyn, gave an update on our chapter’s work so far, “To date, we have put on internal group events and completed two separate fundraisers, as well as begun working to plan a large scale program for the spring.”

Our internal events consist of socials, put on by our Social Officer, Natalie, as well as our meetings planned and run by our Education Officer, Colton. At these meetings we have discussed topics such as Rwandan and Tanzanian Culture and Women’s Empowerment.

At another one of our meetings, Colton conducted an interview via Skype with Heather Newell. Colton described his experience: “I had the privilege of interviewing Heather... It was so fascinating and informative getting to hear from someone that has been with TWB from its early stages and has watched it progress over the years.”

Our Vice Chair, CJ, has done a great job facilitating our biweekly officer meeting and says that, “The officers have done an incredible job at creating a welcoming environment for our members and a tangible spirit of unity throughout the organization.” After just a few months as a campus organization, we are already making an impact on campus.

We have had two articles published on campus about our work and have generated a lot of support via social media. We have also made a personal impact on our members. Our Marketing Officer, Madi, describes the effect that The Women’s Bakery has had on her, “The Women’s Bakery has been so much more than something to throw onto my resume. I have learned about other cultures around the world, other people at my own university, about what feminism means to others, and I’ve even learned a bit about myself… The Women’s Bakery has been very eye-opening for me.”

Our Campus Engagement Officers Samira and Ashlie “anticipate an upcoming semester filled with even more events that are informative, meaningful, and fun! All of our members are very excited to be working on programs that will educate the Bryan/College Station area on women's empowerment and the work of The Women's Bakery.”

We also foresee our already large membership growing even bigger as many students have contacted us in hopes of joining us next semester. TWB A&M is off to a fantastic start and all of our officers and members feel so fortunate to have the chance to play a role in this exciting new development for TWB. 

"If You Look, You Will Go Far"

“If you look far you will go far”

As a woman who has experienced empowerment myself, working with women who need to be empowered is my dream. The opportunity to work with The Women’s Bakery in Rwanda has been truly incredible, and I am able to take part in my dream job..

In the course of working as the Bakery Operations Manager at the TWB bakery in Remera, Kigali, I have been questioning how I could contribute more to grow the ability of TWB women.

One day, when we were in a meeting, I came up with an idea. I asked the women what they thought of taking 200 FRW ($0.26) per woman out of their daily salaries for savings.

They said, “That’s a good idea, why not let’s do it!”

They have already started to save money, which will help them to pay for Mutuelle, the national health insurance, for next year (TWB has already ensured the women all have health insurance for themselves and their families for the current year) and which can also help them to grow their business in the coming year.

This process to create a savings plan is one of my most valued experiences from the past eight months with TWB. On the part of the women, they have improved life for their families, they feel independent, and their new skill sets are evidence of good future prospects.

Many women have a dream of seeing their bakery grow and to eventually be well-known everywhere. I am excited to be part of TWB Rwanda and I will keep learning a lot about our great work, and learn more in my position as Bakery Operations Manager to further grow the Remera Bakery.

Our women are so committed - let's give them our hands, and together we will rise. 

Giving Dough: Giving Tuesday 2016

Baking bread requires patience, attention, and detail. Yet, it’s also wonderfully simple. As one of our team members, Natalie, has said,

Bread is simple. Simple is powerful. When you come to fully understand how much the act of making and selling bread can effect change, it's impossible not to become a champion of The Women's Bakery.

The beautiful thing about bread is that is also does not – and should not – need to be prepared alone. Baking bread ignites opportunity and community.

That’s where you come in.

Following the intense commercialization and consumerism of times likes “Black Friday” it is easy to become distracted from what really matters. Giving Tuesday offers an alternative to buying things and instead encourages investing in people all over the world.

For The Women’s Bakery, Giving Tuesday gives us a chance to share our story in East Africa, to inspire others, and grow our TWB family.

Bread is simple – and for us, that’s how we see our part in changing the world.

By supporting The Women’s Bakery, on Giving Tuesday, and throughout the month of December, TWB will be able to train more women in business and baking skills, generate more income for previously unemployed individuals, and provide added protein to more community diets. In places where nutrition, education, and jobs are scarce, TWB teaches women to build businesses that feed communities and support families. 

This year, we aim to raise $25,000 on Giving Tuesday to support our Bakery in a Box Model. Simply put, $25,000 enables us to partner with, train, support, and launch a bakery with a group of 15-20 women and men.

To help us reach this goal, you can visit our donation page, spread the word, and share our story with your friends and family. Please use our hashtags for this campaign and tag @womensbakery in your posts. Your help matters; it ensures that everyone has access to opportunity. At The Women’s Bakery, that’s the most important part of our work.

In the first three months of operations, the Remera bakery (launched in June of 2016) is selling an average of 596 small breads per week, resulting in an average of 2,980 additional grams of protein on the market each week. In a country like Rwanda where 40% of children are under-nourished, this is a big deal.

100% of these TWB bakery employees are making an income. 100% are baking bread in their home. 100% have national health insurance. 100% report being able to train others in skills they learned in the TWB training program. Considering that prior to our training program only 1 out of the 8 women reported income, it’s clear our program delivers high-level, sustainable impact.

Success is evident. Join us.

#breadpower #togetherwerise #givingdough #bakebreadtogether