Blog Archive
Third Time's A Charm
On Tuesday our Training Facilitators, Aime and Denyse, rolled (no pun intended) into training at the Togetherness Co-op in Ndera, Gasabo District (about 45 minutes outside Kigali). Thanks to the sponsorship of our hiring partner African Road, 12 women and 4 men will be trained over the next few months. This marks our third official training in Rwanda!
Bread, Hands & Flying Money!
At a small-business expo in the Western Province of Rwanda, TWB won THIRD place for our show-case of nutritious bread products. Bread Power. It's a real thing.
Partnering with Sophie & the U.S. Peace Corps
Get a behind-the-scenes look at our newest partnership, with the U.S. Peace Corps. This partnership was facilitated by Peace Corps Volunteer, Sophie Hart. Following the launch of the new bakery, TWB spoke with Sophie about her experiences with the program and how she believes the community bakery can provide both education and economic opportunity for all.
Inspiration.
One of our long-time supporters, Kathryn Melton, shares why TWB inspires her - and why she continues to believe in the work we are doing right now in Rwanda, Tanzania, and beyond.
One month may change your life!
One of the trainees Vestine Uwizeyimana said, “I didn’t believe that after only one month I could get all the skills and knowledge I have now, especially in baking. I am really grateful for The Women’s Bakery team who has brought this opportunity in Rutsiro.”
Who is Denyse? Oh-la-la!
Denyse Uwineza is a young Rwandan woman who works with The Women's Bakery as a Training Facilitator. Most recently, she finished her first training facilitation at Bumba-Rutsiro, with a group of 20 women.
This week, she offered her time to speak with us about her life after work.
Who Educated You?
Ann Pollina reminded us that what we learned in the classroom was a gift we should share with the world - holding us to the highest expectation that we could solve some of the world’s biggest challenges
Together, women and men, we rise.
When women and men are able to work side by side in a bakery, equality begins to take shape. Women – and men- are equally capable in kneading dough, in marketing products, and in tracking inventory. Identifying areas of gender inequity and previous assumptions based on gender, TWB actively is seeking to empower women – which in turn, empowers us all.
Hitting Our Stride
Our model WORKS. And the Remera bakery is the success-story proof. TWB has been shaped and refined and redirected by a series of learning experiences and by the tireless commitment, grit and brilliance of our team. And now we’re hitting our stride – get ready Rwanda.
What I learned from The Blue Sweater
While The Women’s Bakery is just starting its journey, we already have long lists of lessons learned. And, if we have one, two, or ten failures, it doesn’t mean we have to stop building.
Achieving Goals!
Our women are so committed and self-determined to secure long awaited growth, not just for themselves but for their families and this country.
Bridging Cultures
As The Women’s Bakery continues to develop its primary goal of empowering women, it will also provide a means to share cultures and create friendships like it already has for me.
We Can Make This in Rwanda!
If we can help to start changing the mentality and encouraging recipe creativity, we might just start seeing our communities eating more balanced breakfasts! Beyond just banana and carrot bread!
"Even here, we eat breads."
Bread should be available to everyone – with nutritional value – and this belief guides our everyday work for The Women’s Bakery.
Why Growing the TWB Family is like Rugby
Growing our TWB family is (and should be) relationship-focused, built on experiences together.
See, Think, Understand, Do.
“Some people see, think, and go…Others see, think, understand, and try to do something.”
Music & Bread: Reflections on 'Bread Beats' in Boulder
'Bread Beats' was a resounding success; with music from Emily Robinson, stories about TWB, and other power-house women in the audience, bread power definitely came to life!
Success Comes In Different Slices
A question we often receive is “Can a woman run her own baking business using the skills she learned in training, without start-up capital, and without a fancy oven?” The answer is a resounding Yes she can!
Road-tripping with TWB
Educating, sharing, and promoting our work is on the rise - and we're going anywhere and everywhere to talk about it! #riseup #sharetheloaf
TWB: A Life-Long School
For Yvonne, the opportunity to work and intern with TWB had given her the opportunity to continue to learn - and to share this knowledge with others,