2022 + ISSUE FOUR
JLS® gives back CULTURE
The Women’s Bakery rises to the occasion with JLS’ support
15 VISION
JLS’ support of the Rwandan project helped keep it afloat during a global pandemic and massive supply chain disruptions while transforming lives with nutritious bread.
socially and economically empower
year,” says Culver. “There are roughly
women and create access to nutritious
3 million elementary school kids in
bread at affordable prices–and they’ve
Rwanda, and schools were closed for
been doing just that, which is no small
~9 months. It was a tough year for
feat given the circumstances. From
the country. Despite all of that, The
ingredient scarcity and steep price
Women’s Bakery sales grew by 120%.”
hikes to massive labor shortages – all
Thanks to sponsors such as JLS, The
alongside skyrocketing growth in
Women’s Bakery was able to make
product demand – bakeries around
it through.
When you meet Markey Culver, it’s
the world are met with immense
hard not to catch her infectious energy.
challenges while being called to the
But amidst that growth, supply chain
Culver, Founder and CEO of The
task of feeding the world. The three
shortages in 2022 have become an
Women’s Bakery in Rwanda, has been
locations of The Women’s Bakery are
additional obstacle to overcome. In
working hard to keep her mission-
no exception.
Rwanda, 80 -90% of wheat is typically
driven project afloat amidst the various
impor ted from Ukraine. Due to war
social and economic issues that the
“2021 was a worse year for COVID than
in Ukraine, Culver’s bakeries and the
world has faced in the past few years.
2020 for The Women’s Bakery. We had
rest of Rwanda are lef t to decide
The Women’s Bakery’s mission is to
to pause operations four times that
between two alternatives– either
