"Even here, we eat breads."

“Don’t think that people in Kigali are the only ones who eat breads, even here we eat breads,” Esperance, a TWB trained woman, said.

This was a statement from a woman during a baking lesson last week, when a TWB facilitator asked her about her view on bread consumption in rural areas. She immediately replied that even though they live in a very remote area and that financial means are limited, breads are still a relevant market item for their community.

This is a belief that TWB is trying to instill. Too often in Rwanda, individuals and communities think that breads are meant for a wealthier class of society, mostly those who live in cities and have good paying jobs. We defy this belief by making sure nutritious breads are available in both rural and urban areas, for rich and low income people.

Nutritional inequity is common in rural parts of the country, as communities have less access to food, food varieties, and nutritional options for consumption. Currently, TWB is conducting a baking training in Rutsiro District, Bumba Cell. Rutsiro is one the 7 Districts of the Western Province in Rwanda. It has the highest percentages of food insecurity, 57%. In Rwanda, about 44% of children under five suffer from the effect of chronic malnutrition and statistics show that Rutsiro alone has a childhood malnutrition rate of 60% -- this makes it the area most affected by malnutrition countrywide. The consumption of foods rich in nutrients such as proteins and iron is very low.

We are very sure and confident that if women and children of the Rutsiro District can have our nutritious breads locally available, and at affordable price, this will improve their nutritional status. Bread should be available to everyone – with nutritional value – and this belief guides our everyday work for The Women’s Bakery. 

Bread in the Hills

As the first TWB Rwanda training group continues to learn and grow the business in Kigali, our team has been planning for our next training cohort in Rutsiro District, a cool four hour drive from Kigali. Set atop high terraced hills and overlooking all of Lake Kivu, the training site is stunning. Yet contrasted with this beauty, the district is cited as having the highest malnutrition rates in Rwanda.  Though the area, like all of Rwanda, is heavily farmed, most of the crops lack vital micro-nutrients, and meals tend to be made up primarily of foods such as potatoes and cassava.

This is exactly what inspired myself and Markey during our Peace Corps days to start making nutritious foods at home with what was available at market--  from cabbage and carrot salads to peanut flour fortified banana breads to our own peanut butter and fresh rosemary loafs. The ingredients exist locally, but the education surrounding a nutritive meal and balanced diet often does not.

Located on the western edge of Rwanda, this will be TWB’s most rural site to date, and will also be our largest collaborative training effort yet. TWB will focus particularly on delivering our nutrition curriculum along with bread baking and fortified recipe development using local crops, while area based organizations and the current Peace Corps Volunteer at site will continue to deliver life skills, business education, and financial literacy courses to the 18-woman co-op. By expanding throughout both urban and rural areas in Rwanda, we aim to tackle malnutrition and bolster economic opportunity in a very real way. 

Christmas in Kigali

When I was young I attended church with other children in my community. I remember a small hut with a manger inside in the front of the church and other ornate decorations around us. There were programs for children to sing and the opportunity to hear a pastor preach the days’ message.

Now, as an adult, I have the chance to spend Christmas Day with my mom and siblings. It is amazing for all of us to gather and share meals. Our meals are typical Rwandan food: rice, beans, and potatoes. Since it is a special day, we had to find meat. The drink for these special celebrations in my family is sorghum beer, which is my favorite. 

As I was enjoying this day with my relatives, I also reflected on the group of women TWB is currently training in Kigali. I called some of them, wishing them a “Merry Christmas”, and some of them, like Liziki and Faith also called to wish me a special day. I became excited to continue our training with them, to find out what they did for the holidays and to learn more about their own family traditions.

On the first day of our Phase II training – continuing from Phase I, ending before the holidays, I asked how they spent this day and the answer was fairly similar to mine. They attended church in the morning, came back and prepared meals together as family. Faith who is from Kanombe (the eastern part of Kigali) told me that she went to church and then cooked “umunyigi” which is smashed plantain, her favorite dish. Vestine spent her day near her hometown in the North, near the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo. When I asked her favorite memory during the festivities, she said, “I was so amazed to see many people leaving Kigali to go spend the days in the rural areas with their relatives.”

Though many work in Kigali, if people are able to earn money money and other opportunities, there is a chance to visit home sweet home. Two days before Christmas, it was so difficult to get buses from Nyabugogo bus station to neighboring provinces as many people wanted to share the festivities with their relatives.

The holidays were an interesting, busy, and special time for myself and the women of The Women’s Bakery. We were able to find some sense of rest and now, are excited to keep moving further into training and bakery business launch.

Happy New Year from The Women’s Bakery!

Woman of the Week - Flavia

““Life is hard,” she remarks, “and so I seek to help them to build their livelihoods. Even if it’s a small difference.” ”

— Flavia

This past week, The Women's Bakery East Africa Team found ourselves in Kayonza - banana land, two hours East of Kigali (the capital).  We were in a red, stuffy room at a children’s educational development center that women's co-op leader, Flavia, had helped initiate and get off the ground. This, in addition, to the other roles she has played as a leader in the Kayonza community; the more I learned about Flavia, the more dynamic she appeared to be.

We started the conversation and my, how we talked. 

But don’t be fooled, we danced too. Of course. Always, always dancing in Rwanda.

The traditional Rwandan dancing came after our arrival and being introduced with the group of women Flavia helped to organize. Each women shared their name and their home village. Some came in beautiful fabrics found only in these corners of the world, and as each woman presented themselves, I remembered how each one has a story. Each one has a vision. How humbling and grateful I am to work for an organization that blends these stories together for change. .

We told them of what we do, of the training we have completed in other parts of Rwanda and Tanzania, and our vision for women, bread, and business. The women – attentive, excited, and numerous – listened and asked questions. We spoke of the materials for training needed, the kinds of lessons we teach, and the process of what happens after the training is completed. We explained that because of the informational nature of this meeting, our team wanted to better understand if the Kayonza cooperative was ready, compatible, and able to consider seriously entering the process for TWB training.

This is the general process we have as an organization currently– to begin a training, it is important to meet, discuss, share, and negotiate how it would work for each group. Every women’s group that we meet and partner with is different, and the question of commitment and feasibility is always on our minds.

As our team meets with different potential partners, groups, and women, we realize and recognize that the discussions and process are truly a building process. Empowerment, education, and transformational change don’t just happen overnight. It’s a relationship, it’s a discussion, and we are excited to begin those conversations with this specific group in Kayonza.

Moving forward will be dependent on numerous variables, largely funding, timing, and logistics, and yet, the opportunity persists; the need remains. It’s a gap in the world that we are driven by – women’s empowerment – and this group in Kayonza (along with Flavia) was a reminder that because the need remains, we are able to offer opportunity and choice as market-based solutions. That, we believe, is bread power.

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Our woman of the week is Flavia.

Flavia, a leader who is seeking, eyes opened wide, for access and opportunity for her women’s group. Demonstrating what strong advocacy looks like, the conversation for a potential group match would never have begun if she had not initiated the initially small, light-hearted discussion a few weeks back on a sun-soaked bus ride into Kigali.

As an organization, we appreciate women like Flavia, as these are the women who are changing, renewing, and innovating their communities – more and more, we hope with bread.

For the entirety of the story on Flavia, please visit Heather Newell's personal blog 'Ikundayou' at: https://ikundayou.wordpress.com/

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Flavia, pictured right in red & black dress, poses with her co-operative women, with Meg & Heather in Kayonza.