Improving food security

Most children in Rwanda eat just one meal a day. We started One Bread Project (OBP) to help fill these crucial nutritional gaps by providing children with a protein-packed nutritious snack while at school. This has helped improve the health and well-being of vulnerable children, while also improving their school attendance and performance.

A simple Start

We started OBP in 2019, when our bakers at the Gicumbi Bakery saw a need at a nearby government primary school and reached out to help meet it. Our goal was simple: to improve the health, well-being, attendance and performance of school children. By the end of that school year, we were serving 463 children per day.

As of March 2024, OBP provides bread to over 20,000 primary school students every day, at nearly 50 schools. And aside from providing nutritious food to children, OBP helps provide job security to the teams at each of our three bakeries.

 

Children served each day

NutriBun

In 2023, we calibrated our recipe to create NutriBun, which follows the World Health Organization and World Food Programme recommendations for specially fortified breads. NutriBun incorporates protein, fiber and numerous key nutrients which are considered essential for growth and development of young children:

  • Vitamin A

  • Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)

  • Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

  • Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin)

  • Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid)

  • Vitamin B6

  • Niacin (Vitamine B3)

  • Iron

  • Zinc

  • Wheat Bran, crucial for digestion and the absorption of vitamin D

An ambitious Future

Our target for 2025 is to extend our services to serve 100,000 students a day, within the vicinity of our three bakery sites. And we are steadfastly committed to expanding our outreach and impact even more.

Ten years from now, we aim to serve 1 million primary students per day.

We believe that we can—we believe that we will.

get involved

We’re looking for both Rwandan and international partners to help grow OBP. Donations to TWB are also a great way to help.


Partner with us

Partners in Rwanda can help us in three key areas:

  1. Advocate for incorporation of OBP in the National School Feeding Program Menu.

  2. Advise on which districts and schools might benefit from OBP, especially those in districts already served by TWB.

  3. Fund portions of OBP, along with other NGOs, international organizations, corporate partnerships, and philanthropic foundations.

Donate

Donate to help The Women’s Bakery serve nutritious bread to children every day:

  • $20 can provide bread to one primary school student for a school year (180 days).

  • $1,000 can provide 20 primary school students with bread for a school year.

  • $20,000 can provide an entire school (~1,000 students) with bread for a school year.