I grew up in Zambia in a privileged family. I ate 3 meals a day, I had the opportunity to study and I had good health care despite living in a developing country. I believe that these are basic human rights. We all have dreams sometimes big, sometimes small. My dream has always been to address poverty. Not with temporary solutions, not with handouts but to make a long-term impact by development through entrepreneurship.

Yawama of Sweden wants to give women the opportunity to rise above poverty. Together with our partner in Zambia- Little Ndaba we embarked on a long and challenging task. Our goal was to create commercial toys made by women in remote areas in Zambia. Toys that not only meet the quality and design expectations for the European market but produced with sustainable organic cotton sourced in Africa.

We have worked hard sourcing appropriate cotton, developing patterns and designs, reworking designs to cut time and costs, training and meeting quality specifications and regulations. Our business model has encouraged women to knit and crochet parts of the dolls from their homes in remote rural areas and we are so proud of the group of over 50 women that have worked so hard to learn and master the Yawama designs and quality specifications. We continue to believe in providing alternative employment opportunities to women in rural areas

One of the many challenges has been to maintain a constant supply of organic cotton from Tanzania which has proved costly in a price competitive market. Organic cotton in Southern Africa is a scarce and pricy commodity. After numerous attempts and discussions we are sad to say that we have chosen NOT to proceed with the organic cotton.

Economic Empowerment of women continues to be our primary focus!

Please take note that our cotton although non-organic continues to be OEKO certified and therefore fills all requirements for child safety.

Welcome to our new and updated website.

I am saying my official goodbyes to my role heading the museum on this magnificent island of Norrbyskär.

I am truly grateful to have been entrusted to manage this important cultural heritage that is a symbolic cornerstone in the welfare state the we enjoy in Sweden today. The saw-milling era at its prime in the 20s – 50s brought with it major changes- productivity, job creation, export opportunities and economic gain.

Every journey one embarks upon will leave a trail. This one is mine.

I have learned to appreciate even more so the benefits previous generations have paid the price for -controlled working hours and conditions, more favourable womens rights, childrens right to an education and controlled use of chemicals in industry.

I have explored cultural avenues that I would have never dreamed of taking.

I have stood before crowds of visitors and taken tours in a language that is not my mother tongue.

I have made friends from all walks of life.

I have worked hard.

I have laughed.

I have cried.

A little piece of Norrbyskär always in my heart.

I move on to continue working with women in Zambia with the vision of making a difference in their lives through Yawama of Sweden.

Training knittes

I saw Nina Yesterday. I saw myself. 12 years old in a predominantly white boarding school in newly independent Zimbabwe standing up and saying. “ ENOUGH!!”. My fight then was for the right for blacks and whites to use the same showers.. to be able to stand in the same space. As I grew older my fight has evolved focusing on women who can’t own a space due to be being economically crippled.  They are silenced. They are no one. They are part of this never ending malicious poverty trap. They are women in Zambia.

Yawama of Sweden is my initiative born out of my numerous years in the aid sector wanting more than just hand outs for women. Wanting women to feel a sense of self worth. Wanting women to feel ownership. Wanting women to be economically independent. Wanting women to send their kids to school…..I could go on.

This is what Yawama is about.

Yawama in my tribal language bemba means “It is really good!”