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!”

A short film about our latest trip to Zambia.

I love seeing and listening to these ladies beautiful voices.

This has been an exciting and busy year with lots of additional ranges to our collections. We would love to celebrate by meeting you in Stockholm. Join us!

……Psst take a look at our new collection. We  have added a range of new colours to our collection Nsofwa, Kolwe and Nombe. Now we also have a small collection of organic crocheted rattles that are the perfect size for small baby hands. Our progress is slow and steady.

Each new product requires months of preparation. New designs are sent to Zambia. Yarn is ordered from Tanzania. The ladies from little Ndaba work through the designs and make a number of prototypes which get sent back to us in Sweden. Further changes are made and then finally a new product range arrives.

The economic situation in Zambia with dollar rates fluctuating on a daily basis, power and water shortages make planning and every day life for the average Zambian a nightmare and more so for the business person.

Once the products are in Sweden we work on the photography, product descriptions and sales and marketing. We continue to work on improving marketing strategies to increase sales so that the ladies can continue knitting and earning an income. One steady step at a time. As we say in Zambia panono panono!