“In Our Words”
Tessa, Ruyenzi Program Manager
“The Ruyenzi bakery is well on its way to profitability, which brings many possibilities. I see the Ruyenzi bakery being a model of success within The Women’s Bakery. Thank you to our supporters for uplifting women.
Ruyenzi is a small, rural community about 40 minutes outside of Rwanda’s Capital, Kigali. With few businesses located in Ruyenzi, The Women’s Bakery has become a cornerstone in the community, and our neighbors affectionately refer to our team as the “honey bread people.”
All women on the Ruyenzi bakery team have been with TWB from the beginning. They’re an experienced, invested, and eager group of strong women bakers who take ownership and pride in their work. In the nearly two years since I joined The Women’s Bakery as Program Manager, I’ve been proud to lead such a competent team of women, who, before joining TWB had not held jobs and had little to no professional training. Each woman understands what it means to bring a business to profitability. They regularly, often daily, ask me to share profit and loss updates so they know how the bakery and our team are performing. Thanks to TWB supporters, the Ruyenzi team was able to purchase a second Hardbody [delivery vehicle] and complete efficiency training with an industry coach earlier this year, resulting in a doubling of sales thus far in 2020. We know there is market demand for nutritious bread in communities throughout Rwanda. In the coming months, our focus is on better targeting specific markets to further increase sales.
The Ruyenzi bakery is well on its way to profitability, which brings many possibilities. My hope is to bring more women to our team so they, too, can experience the same opportunities. I see the Ruyenzi bakery being a model of success within The Women’s Bakery. Thank you to our supporters for uplifting women.
The Women’s Bakery is more than a place of employment. It’s a source of confidence, livelihood, leadership, and growth.”
