Mavuno Project Visit: Knowledge Exchange at Fryshuset

In the afternoon, the delegation visited Fryshuset in Hammarby Sjöstad, one of Sweden’s largest youth centres and schools. We were warmly welcomed by Ms Yazmine Nour Sherifay, Director of Establishment of Schools and former Headmaster of Lower Secondary Schools in Husby, and Ms Raisa Lång Velazco, Director of Development and International Relations.

A passion for developing young people

In Sweden all students are on summer holiday at this time of the year. So the normally busy school premises were quiet and empty of students. The visit still offered valuable opportunities for knowledge exchange. Although the situation for students and school leaders in Tanzania and Sweden differs greatly, with each facing very different challenges, the discussions made clear that there is a shared foundation on which to build.

What unites us is passion — a shared commitment to help young people find their inner drive, to learn, develop, and grow into role models for others. At the heart of both our work is the desire to give children and students the confidence to believe in a positive future for themselves and for their communities.

The representatives from Mavuno and Fryshuset agreed that there is much to gain from exploring ways to collaborate, share experiences, and support each other’s efforts, and decided to keep in contact.

Skateboard on the schedule

During the visit, we also had the chance to tour Fryshuset’s impressive facilities, including the basketball courts, skateboard areas, school library (where the student health care team is located), and the student space “Fryschillet” — a welcoming environment where students can study, receive support, meet friends, and spend time together in a safe and supportive atmosphere.

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Strengthening Partnerships for Sustainable Impact

In June 2025, Engineers Without Borders Sweden had the great pleasure of welcoming representatives from our long-standing partner organisation, the Mavuno Project in Karagwe, Tanzania, for a full day of meetings and knowledge exchange in Stockholm. Mr Charles Bahati, Director of the Mavuno Project, and Ms Gloria Katabazi, Principal of Mavuno Model Girls’ Secondary School, met with Swedish partners from industry, education and civil society to share experiences, explore new ideas, and further strengthen our collaboration.

The visit reflected the heart of our joint work: long-term partnerships, local leadership and a shared passion for humanitarian engineering — improving the lives of young people and their communities through education, sustainable solutions and engineering expertise.

Mavuno Project Visit: Breakfast Seminar at Sandvik

On 10 June, Engineers Without Borders Sweden had the great pleasure of welcoming our long-standing partner, the Mavuno Project from Karagwe, Tanzania, to Stockholm. Mr Charles Bahati, Director of the Mavuno Project, and Ms Gloria Katabazi, Principal of the Mavuno Model Girls’ Secondary School, visited as part of their tour to strengthen ongoing collaborations.

The visit started with a breakfast seminar generously hosted by Sandvik at their headquarters. The event brought together Sandvik staff with representatives from EWB-SWE: Caroline Edelstam, Secretary General; giving some opening remark, and Marianne Grauers, Vice Chair of the EWB-SWE Board, participating in the talk.

During the session, Charles and Gloria shared valuable insights into the work of Mavuno, from improving education opportunities for girls to developing sustainable water and sanitation solutions in their district of Karagwe. Karagwe is one of the eight districts of the Kagera Region in north-western Tanzania, bordering Uganda and Rwanda.

The presentation sparked great interest, and many questions were asked by the Sandvik staff. We believe it was rewarding for many at Sandvik to finally meet in person with representatives from a project they have been hearing about and following for a long time.

We are sincerely grateful to Sandvik for inviting us and for their continued and strong engagement in our joint efforts. Meetings like these are valuable opportunities to share our experiences, strengthen partnerships, and continue building long-term collaborations.

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Lunch at World Trade Center Stockholm

Following the breakfast seminar, there was a pleasant lunch at the World Trade Center in Stockholm, joined by parts of the EWB-SWE Secretariat and Board. Mr Joel Nedar, Founder of Improvin, also attended the lunch. EWB-SWE Chairman Jan Burenius made a brief visit to greet the delegation before the group continued their busy programme.

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Strengthening Partnerships for Sustainable Impact

In June 2025, Engineers Without Borders Sweden had the great pleasure of welcoming representatives from our long-standing partner organisation, the Mavuno Project in Karagwe, Tanzania, for a full day of meetings and knowledge exchange in Stockholm. Mr Charles Bahati, Director of the Mavuno Project, and Ms Gloria Katabazi, Principal of Mavuno Model Girls’ Secondary School, met with Swedish partners from industry, education and civil society to share experiences, explore new ideas, and further strengthen our collaboration.

The visit reflected the heart of our joint work: long-term partnerships, local leadership and a shared passion for humanitarian engineering — improving the lives of young people and their communities through education, sustainable solutions and engineering expertise.