Spotlight on EWB-SWE: A Conversation with Chairperson Malabika Ray→

In a recent feature by Equal IT, the spotlight was on Engineers Without Borders Sweden (EWB-SWE), highlighting our volunteer-driven efforts in engineering for humanity. Chair of the EWB-SWE’s Board, Malabika Ray, had been invited to share insights into the our mission and activities.

Malabika passionately articulated the essence of EWB-SWE, emphasizing our commitment to sustainability and our mission to mobilize engineering expertise for the empowerment and resilience of communities, today and in the future. She talked about our focused activities, aimed at building a sustainable future for communities worldwide, and underscored the crucial role that volunteers play in driving our initiatives.

For those interested in learning more about our work or exploring partnership opportunities, visit our website and consider following EWB-SWE on LinkedIn for updates and more information.

Watch the full conversation with Malabika Ray on Equal IT’s YouTube channel, where she provides a richer understanding of our organization's background, focus areas, and the significant contributions of our volunteers.

Equal IT is a mission-driven business supporting organisations globally to recruit inclusive teams through refined talent acquisition complemented by diversity and inclusion consulting.

Sustaid and EWB-SWE in new collaboration

We are glad to announce that Engineers Without Borders Sweden and Sustaid have initiated a collaboration. This collaboration brings together two organizations driven by a mission to create meaningful, sustainable change.

Sustaid is focused on improving the lives of the most vulnerable individuals in crisis- and disaster-affected areas. Sustaid facilitates sustainable innovations and solutions through cross-sectoral partnerships, and their work is aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 17, emphasizing the importance of collaboration for optimal long-term impact.

”Ingenuity and collaboration lie at the heart of both our organizations," said Caroline Edelstam, Secretary General of EWB-SWE. "We believe that our expertise in humanitarian engineering will greatly complement Sustaid's efforts to propel sustainable innovations in the most vulnerable places."

For over 15 years, EWB-SWE has leveraged its technical expertise to build a more equitable and resilient world. Like Sustaid, we aim to bridge gaps—whether structural or cultural—between aid organizations, businesses, and innovation hubs. This partnership promises to further enrich our international engagement and strengthen our collective impact.

Rexel Supports Solar Energy Project for Newborns in Tanzania

We are happy to announce a donation from Rexel toward our solar energy project aimed at saving the lives of underweight newborns at the Lugala Lutheran Hospital in Tanzania.

Charlotte Asplund, from Rexel Marketing Department, expressed her company's commitment: "At Rexel, we offer products and services for safer electrical installations and more comfortable properties. Alongside our customers, we aim for energy-smart, economically-smart, and environmentally-smart solutions in every project we undertake. We're both happy and proud to have donated to Engineers Without Borders Sweden to support their work in installing solar panels at the hospital in Tanzania."

Rexel raised the funds through a customer survey, donating 10 SEK for each response. "Every answer we receive in the customer survey represents a donation of 10 kronor toward EWB-SWE’s project to save the lives of 15 newborns and support quality care for 490 newborns per year due to the absence of power outages," Asplund added.

Life-saving machinery

EWB-SWE has been involved in various infrastructure projects at the Lugala Lutheran Hospital, located in the village of Lugala in Malinyi district, Morogoro region in Tanzania, including water sanitation and energy-efficient laundry facilities. 

The current project aims to install a solar photovoltaic system to provide a sustainable source of energy to the hospital’s Kangaroo Mother Care Unit (KMCU). This will ensure that life-saving machinery remains operational in the neonatal unit even when the local electrical grid fails. The KMCU is specifically designed to care for underweight newborns, providing them with a better chance for survival.

In collaboration with the hospital and our local partner, Tanzania Renewable Energy Association (TAREA), EWB-SWE will also train staff on maintaining and optimising the new solar photovoltaic system. The objective is to empower the hospital to provide continuous care, alleviating the immediate and long-term risks posed by unreliable electricity supply.

Caroline Edelstam, Secretary General of EWB-SWE, said, "Donations like these play a crucial role in the success of our ongoing projects and our long-term initiatives that aim to bring sustainable solutions and empower communities. We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Rexel for their support.” 

---

Inspired by Rexel´s initiative?

Join us in our goal to provide a sustainable energy source for the neonatal unit at Lugala Lutheran Hospital and save underweight newborns´ lives! 

New Head of Communications for EWB-SWE

Engineers Without Borders Sweden is proud to announce the newest addition to our team: Carin Balfe Arbman, who joins as Head of Communication. Beyond her primary role in communications, Carin will also be coordinating our local groups across Sweden. This dual responsibility highlights our commitment to strengthening the national engineering community's connections and collaborations.

Secretary General, Caroline Edelstam, shared her thoughts on the appointment: "Carin's vast experience not only in communication but also in the tech and start-up sectors, as well as non-profit organizations, is very valuable. We believe her unique perspective and skills will play a crucial role in expanding our reach and driving our mission forward."

Carin’s latest position was as National Communications Manager for the Swedish youth organisation Fryshuset. And she previously worked as Communications Manager for the Swedish Ag-tech and innovation company Plantagon International.

This is a significant step for Engineers Without Borders Sweden as we continue our journey in promoting engineering as a tool for positive change, emphasizing its role in sustainability, foreign aid, and engineering education. Join us in welcoming Carin to EWB-SWE!

Greetings from our Secretary General!

Caroline is the newest addition to the management team of EWB-SWE. Join us as we reflect with her on the first months with us and most importantly what is the pipeline for the rest of the year for the organization.

>Two months on the job. What are your initial thoughts and how has it been so far?

It has been two very interesting months in learning more about the organization, its supporters and all the important work EWB-SWE conducts and the actual impact the organization has for communities in need. The incredible, warm spirit of everyone volunteering and committing to all our work and projects is very inspiring, how we together can work for a better and more sustainable future. Further, it has been very interesting to discover all designs and creative solutions to real-world problems and sustainable development projects that are innovative and community centered.

>What are the plans for the fall and beyond?

After the summer will be quite exciting for all of us at EWB-SWE as we will present a new strategy for our international projects and continue to push projects that have been active or moving at slow speed following the pandemic. We are keeping a strong focus on fundraising so we can contribute more to our projects and we are already starting planning for upcoming campaigns - “Giving Tuesday '' on November 28th and year-end giving around Christmas Campaign. We are also working to launch a new feature for everyone willing to make their support last with monthly donations.

Our important work with Missing Maps continues and we will be back with more news on our upcoming mapathon after the summer holidays. Another exciting news is the launch of “Meet our Partners”, a series of interviews with our partners to talk about our collaboration and achievements together.

Last but not least, we will start in October the third edition of our Connect Mentorship Program in collaboration with our main partner Sandvik that aims at sharing knowledge and increasing insight about both organizations through pairing between their Global Graduates and our local groups. 

>Anything else?

Yes! EWB-SWE is now a proud member of The West Sweden Chamber of Commerce, a privat and politically neutral organization working to strengthen the region's business community. This collaboration gives us a wonderful opportunity to work with integration and sustainability in the region.

And I look forward to working with all of you and wish you a happy summer!

// Caroline Edelstam