Eat, Dance, Laugh, Share: How TWB Does Transitions

Just a few months ago, I sat in the backyard of The Women’s Bakery Flagship in Kigali and ate, danced, laughed and shared stories of our sometimes haphazard beginnings with the first group of women we trained in Rwanda, back in 2015. I was also surrounded by TWB Rwanda team members – some new and some who had been there from very early on as we built, learned through trial and error, pivoted, and grew as a company over our first several years. I was leaving for a year-long MBA program in the UK, and was filled with the standard jumble of emotions: eager to begin something new, sad to leave a team and friends who have made Rwanda one of my homes, and excited to see how new roles and opportunities within the company would be filled. Taking several steps back from everything I have helped to build and watched grow, change, and mature for the last four years was difficult, but I am so proud of how the team continues to rise to new challenges and puts their heart into TWB, making sure that our model works to create real, sustained impact.  

Last week, I again sat in the backyard of TWB’s Flagship in Kigali, and again I ate, danced, laughed, and shared stories with the team – this time to celebrate and send off Meg North. It is impossible to imagine where TWB would be today without the heart and soul of both Meg and Heather (who also recently transitioned from TWB) and the years that they poured themselves into building and shaping our model and mission. The last four years have been daunting, inspiring, challenging, and often exhausting. But there is an undeniable upward trajectory, and important lessons that have translated into greater growth and momentum for The Women’s Bakery.  

I am incredibly proud of everyone who has helped bring TWB to where we are now, and I am confident that amidst these current transitions, new and old team members alike will continue to raise the bar and further develop TWB. Here’s to the continued eating, dancing, laughing, sharing of stories, and to all of team TWB! 

#breadpower

Incorporating New Technology – Bakery Growth Pains & Gains

With our exciting move into the Kigali Flagship, TWB has spent the last month in the thick of readjustments, and lots of furniture moving!

While the transition has been a bit stressful and chaotic at times, as one would imagine when combining three entities into one (Kigali Bakery + training center + TWB offices), the results are already proving positive. The bakery took only one day off from operations to transition, and has been increasing production ever since in the larger production space. Meanwhile, the training center is already hosting its first training- TWB’s Bakery Operations Manager Training pilot program, and the company offices are happy to be closer to the Kigali bakery women, as well as the fresh daily bread! 

One of the most exciting, and challenging, new adjustments to the bakery production in Kigali is the use of technical baking equipment, including electric mixers and a three-deck gas oven. While the Kigali baking team was naturally skeptical when we first introduced the new oven and began running tests to ensure the quality and consistency of our bread, everyone has quickly learned new procedures and adopted the giant metal box that clicks and beeps and rings alarms into their daily operations. Within the first week of using the gas oven, the baking team shaved nearly 2 hours from their production time! And, the oven masters no longer have to juggle feeding the fire and monitoring the heat all while baking delicious breads to perfection.  

Over the next few weeks we will also fully incorporate the electric mixers, with the assistance and guidance of our Corporate Sponsor Rademaker to ensure the process. 

We are grateful and excited to take these next steps towards growth in Kigali, and we look forward to improving our efficiency and impact by incorporating better technology!