“Sweden was built on innovation. Being a relatively small country in terms of population without an abundance of natural resources, we had to rely on the power of thought and invention; create new things to grow our economy and build Sweden to the country it is today” Lena Nordström, Sweden’s Ambassador to Zambia.
By David Ngenda
As my prize for winning the Partners Guide Young Zambian Business Journalist of the Year Competition, I got to travel to Stockholm courtesy of the Swedish Embassy in Zambia and the Swedish Institute where I visited a number of different interesting places. Stockholm is the capital city of Sweden, made up of a total of 14 islands connected to one another by bridges and hundreds of overpasses. It is home to a whole host of historic sites and buildings such as The Nobel Museum, 18th century ships, the Royal Palace and a number of public parks that were previously reserved for the Royal Family. I was intrigued to observe some of the city’s innovations. The city’s public transportation industry has embraced bio fuel technology with a large number of taxis and buses running on recycled cooking oil. Public buses have a non-cash form of payment for their fares and instead most use small plastic cards comparable to credit cards in both function and size. The fares accrued by the cards are cleared at the end of each month by the holder as part of their bills. Taxis accept cash as well as a wide variety of cards – Visa, MasterCard, credit cards and more. Fare meters help avoid extortion and onboard receipt printers ensure accountability for all parties involved.
MULTICULTURAL CENTRE
The first place I visited was The Multicultural Centre – It works for a society where diversity is reflected in the national image and in which migration-related phenomena are naturally included in the Swedish heritage. Here, I observed an exhibition called ‘Dressing Swedish.’ It showcased the evolution in Swedish design from early traditional dress to its modern adaptation. It showed the emergence of contemporary fashion trends into Swedish society and how designers try to marry the country’s past and present on the runway. This ideology has raised much controversy, but none as volatile as the Mother Svea exhibition of 2009 which celebrated Swedish urban femininity. It featured altered as well as micro-versions of the traditional ankle length conservative dress and body-hugging outfits like the ‘skinny jean’, biker jackets and many other folk outfits carrying a western flavour. The traditional dress often referred to as the national dress is viewed as the symbol of Swedish heritage in terms of fashion.
“This exhibition was the first of its kind in Sweden and it encouraged women to be bold dress however they wanted” said Dr Charlotta Hylten-Cavallius, PhD Ethnology and Research Manager at the Multicultural Centre. “The altered traditional dresses were a symbol of integration and multiculturalism that came at a time when there was much debate regarding who belongs to Sweden and who doesn’t” she explained. “There was a big uproar from one section of the public while anothersection praised the idea. Those against the notion of a multicultural society went as far as issuing death threats to the exhibitors; they still do to this day” she added. Hylten-Cavallius further said the protestors felt Swedish heritage was being lost in the idea of multiculturalism.
Like Sweden, Zambian designers find themselves at odds with parts of society that are against ‘modernising’ traditional attire. Grace Mubanga, 68, of Mutendere, Lusaka said in an interview “modernization of traditional wear is what is ruining our culture today. We can see from how young ladies of today are always ‘naked’ that mixing culture with these western fashions is not good. As banachimbusas (traditional marriage counselors) it is our responsibility to fight for the preservation of our culture.”
“Culture is always evolving, if it didn’t it would die a natural death” said Towani Clarke, Founder, Kutowa Designs Zambia. Clarke said that people afraid of change will always be against modernized fashion claiming it destroys Zambian culture. “When you think of it, if it wasn’t for the modernization of fashion we (Zambians) wouldn’t be wearing fabric and would still be in animal skins because fabric, even the chitenge material itself is not originated in our culture but came to be as a result of people moving with time and dressing like people from Europe and America did. So how is modernising the chitenge outfit ruining the Zambian culture? It’s time the critics woke up and embraced the undeniable truth – culture, like fashion is dynamic and is always evolving. My job as a designer is to interweave the past, present and the future in my outfits” she added.
BOTKYRKA MUNICIPALITY ON DIVERSITY & SEGREGATION
“Swedish integration laws state that anyone can vote in local but not presidential elections even if they are not citizens.” Tobias Hubinette, Associate Professor, Intercultural Pedagogy Botkyrka is the poorest municipality in southern Stockholm and has Sweden’s highest population of foreign immigrants. The immigrants generally form small communities within the municipality with people of their own ethnic Dr. Rene Leon Rosales, Researcher and Training Manager, Multicultural Centre said that Sweden has the best immigration laws in the western world. “We (Sweden) take in more immigrants per capital than any other western country” he said. Dr Rosales, who has a PhD in Ethnology cited language barrier and racial discrimination as two of the major hindrances to integration and employment for migrants. He further said “this is what makes Botkyrka so poor. 30% of Swedish citizens have an immigrant background and most of that 30% is in Botkyrka.” The municipality has the highest unemployment rate and one of the highest crime rates in Stockholm.
“The 2009 Anti-Discrimination Act replaced seven other similar laws and led to the formation of four equality bodies” said Prof Hubinette. One body alluded is the Anti-Discrimination Bureau which found it is easier to prove discrimination against gender than race. Prof Hubinette said that despite being poor, Botkyrka spends more money on culture and integration than any other municipality. “The emergence of a Circus (Circus Cirkör) in the municipality 16 years ago broke the stigma against the inhabitants of the area and over 1.2 million people have seen it since” he added. Rosales noted “all newcomers to Sweden are legally entitled to the same secure citizenship as those born in Sweden if they stay in Sweden for a minimum of five years.”
“The question one must first ask is; what does a migrant gain from being integrated into a particular society and how does the country benefit from this?” said Dr Pedro Neto, Researcher at the African Institute at the Higher Education College for Social Studies in Paris, France and the Centre for International Studies at the University Institute of Lisbon, Portugal. “Zambia lost great assets when it repatriated thousands of Angolan refugees not long ago. Almost all the people sent home were hardworking farmers in a mining area. They were feeding miners and towns such as Solwezi. Nowadays food has to be brought in from much further thus increasing its cost. And most of these people stayed in Zambia for nearly 40 years. They were more than happy to be integrated into the Zambian society” explained Dr Neto, PhD Anthropology following an expedition to Mayukwayukwa and Maheba refugee camps. The Old People’s Home – Glasberga vård – och omsorgsboende Located 30km South of Stockholm, Glasberga vård – och omsorgsboende is a senior home on the front line of innovation. The residents of the home have found a way to integrate the use of iPads into their daily lives. This has been done in co-operation with adolescents seeking to gain work experience to enable them to compete on the job market. Sweden is labelled as the best place in the world to grow old due to its favourable social welfare policies. According to Society Healthcare Sweden – an online report at sweden.se – the country invests more of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in its elderly than any other country in the world. 18% of its 9.7 million inhabitants are above the retirement age of 65.
“Care for seniors is funded by taxes received from municipalities as well as government grants. Seniors can choose whether to receive care at home or move to a public or private seniors’ home. Fees paid to the private homes are subsidised by the government” the report reads. Glasberga vård – och omsorgsboende is one such private home the report refers to. “The home receives approximately 180 volunteers per month” said Gustav, a 19 year old volunteer. “We help them (the seniors) engage in physical and mental activities to keep their health and spirits up” he added. Investigations conducted by Hands of Mercy – a home for the aged in Lusaka revealed that light physical exercise combined with mental activities can increase the life expectancy of a non-smoking senior citizen by as much as 18 years. The same report also stated that “even though the Zambian culture has for a long time revered old age and often associated it with wisdom, the general attitude in today’s society is one that associates old age with uselessness and witchcraft amongst other negativity, hence neglect and discrimination of seniors has seen a rapid growth throughout the country in recent years.”
“There is still a lot that needs to be done to promote and safeguard the welfare of senior citizens in Zambia. Both the public and private sector need to re-energise their efforts in addressing issues concerning the aged especially those who cannot afford to pay for accommodation in private old people’s homes” declared Rose Sishimba, Director, Senior Citizens Association of Zambia.
SOLVATTEN
A family-owned Startup Company with a revolutionary invention of a plastic container that purifies and heats water using sunlight. Solvatten (solar water in English) is a 10 litre container that utilises the energy of the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays to rid water of bacteria and heat it to over 70°C. The container looks a lot like an open briefcase with its two sides being the different compartments of the container that are five litres each. When the case is closed it becomes one 10 litre container with two separate compartments. A little thermal indicator placed inside each compartment turns from white to green when the water reaches a temperature that kills all harmful bacteria (including the virus that causes Ebola). Depending on the light intensity from the sun, this process (purification) may take between one to two hours and it may take longer still (total of six hours) to get the water as hot as 75°C. The average lifespan of the container is eight to ten years when used twice a day every day.
“Solar water is very low maintenance requiring only a handful of bean seeds and a small amount of water inside the container and a bit of shaking to clean. It eliminates the need of chemical water purifiers such as chlorine and reduces the amount of energy used in terms of firewood to treat water or cook by as much as 50% and unlike boiling, it does not leave a bad taste to the water” said David Wadström, one of the promoters of Solvatten. Petras Wadström, Solvatten inventor said “Environmental concerns are becoming a top issue for consumers everywhere. We all want to ensure that the natural system on which our lives and economies rely will be around for the long term and providing an environmentally sustainable world with profitable and rewarding ventures. Since Solvatten reduces deforestation and carbon emissions by discouraging the use of wood fuel in water treatment, the distribution of these containers can be financed by climate investments under business’s corporate social responsibility.”
As Zambia struggles to curb the threat of deforestation and charcoal burning among ever-present cases of waterborne diseases, Solvatten has the potential to make a significant impact in rural areas by saving lives and preserving the environment. Solvatten is already being used in over 20 countries worldwide with its biggest African market being East Africa where over 100,000 units have been sold so far. Perhaps the biggest drawback of Solvatten besides the long processing hours is the €200 EUR price tag on each 10 litre container. However, a combination of government subsidy corporate social responsibility or even micro-finance funds can play a key role in meeting the expense on behalf of the average Zambian citizen.
THE MINISTRY OF STORYTELLING
Berättarministeriet is a non-profit organisation dedicated to inspire children between 8 and 18 from low income areas to conquer the written word. “Strong writing skills are fundamental to future success” says 826 National, a similar organisation in the US. Opened in April 2011, the Ministry has seen over 10,000 children from all corners of Stockholm. It was initiated by Cultural Heritage Without Boarders (CHWB) – a non-government organisation dedicated to rescuing cultural heritage that has been affected by conflict, neglect or natural disasters. The writing centre is inspired by 826 National – a non-profit that provides strategic leadership, administration and other resources to a network of its writing and tutoring centers.
Berättarministeriet Volunteers’ Manager, Jamilla Lind said “children from areas of high unemployment generally have some of the poorest grades in school and in today’s world you have to be secure in the written word in order to compete on the job market.” “We help children develop fantasy and encourage them to write their own stories based on whatever they imagine” she said. “We do not pay attention to spelling or grammar; they can learn that at school. All that matters to us is they unlock and develop their imagination and use it to come up with their own stories” she added. Lind further said that the Ministry of Stories tries to create a stressfree environment for children to express themselves freely without the pressure of remembering which punctuation goes where; correct and incorrect syntax and perhaps the most daunting of them all; grades. The Ministry holds classes for children aged8-11 from Tuesday to Friday while those aged 12-18 have their sessions during the remaining days. The Writing Centre has a host of volunteers whose job is to provide guidance to the children on what to write about and do not directly take part in the writing themselves. Writing sessions are done both in groups and individually once a topic has been chosen. They are told to write a story with enough ‘fantasy’ to impress a shadowy character called “Editor Schwarz.”
The editor’s job is to challenge the children through his cynicism to come up with the most imaginative story they can dream up from the bits of information they receive from the volunteers on various possible stories ranging from visiting alien planets to walking through enchanted forests. Once the story has been chosen through a vote, they are handed +small booklets in which the story has been started by the guest authors or volunteers and then the children get to complete the story and present it to Schwarz for his approval.
Berättarministeriet’s biggest success story is arguably the publication of a fiction novel by a combination of 10 of their students. Over 5,000 copies of the novel have been published by one of the biggest publishing firms in Stockholm. Centre like the Ministry of Stories are available in other countries like Spain, the UK and the USA (where it all started). No centres currently exist in Africa.
SVERIGES RADIO (SR)
Sveriges Radio/ Swedish Radio may perhaps be best described as Sweden’s equivalent to ZNBC Radio, however it can also be seen as a futuristic version of Zambia’s national broadcaster in terms of products and services if nothing else. Swedish Radio is a public service company as defined by Swedish Parliament under the conditions of their license. “The activity is to be characterised by independence and strong integrity and shall be conducted independently of the state and other financial, political and other interests and spheres of power in society. It is especially important that Swedish Radio safeguards the programme areas that are important for public interest” say the conditions of the Broadcast License.
Like many media broadcasting entities, SR are already well on course to completing their migration from analogue to digital transmission. Strategies have already been put in place to achieve this migration as the world approaches the international deadline of 2015.“Radio transmission is as clear as it will ever be, therefore radio digital migration does not have a lot to do with changing the clarity of the broadcasts as it has to do with changing of the broadcaster’s mindset” said Jan Petersson, Director, Analysis and Communication, Swedish Radio. “Changing our mindset means altering our conventional methods of reaching our listeners and following them where they are; the digital world. The majority of our listeners are using digital devices and thus they are drawn to their mobile phone screens as their first source of information and entertainment. Our job as broadcasters is to follow them to the digital world and provide a way for them to access our radio from there. That is what it means to go digital for a radio station” he explained.
“What will happen in the digital world of radio is that we will have a network society that will allow the broadcaster and their audience to connect and dialogue in a way that was impossible during analogue [transmission]. In this society, your audience becomes members of your board – they become part of what you produce. The biggest challenge that both ZNBC and SR are having is how to adapt to this” SR has developed and successfully tested a mobile phone app that allows listeners to access different shows on the radio the same way one accesses music on one’s phone via the gadget’s mp3 player. Each channel displays the details of the radio show that is on air – name of the show, presenters, whether the show is live or not, dates and time of broadcast and so on. “The audience can choose to listen to current shows or access any show in the entire archive of SR which is no different from switching playlists or folders in an mp3 app. It can be used anywhere as it does not depend on internet or mobile network but radio-waves” explained Petterson. “We have a similar app for television. It does everything this one does except for TV and can be downloaded and installed on any Smartphone for free. The cost is covered by the TV levy” he added Swedish Radio is currently working on a partnership with ZNBC radio. “Most of the paperwork has been done, we are just waiting for them (ZNBC Radio) to respond to us” Pettersson said. “We hope to share this [the applications] and other technology with them (ZNBC Radio). Our partnership is not necessarily us becoming one company but it is more of a collaboration of the minds. We want to share and develop ideas together on how both our stations can best capture the audience back to radio in this digital age” he elaborated. All broadcast media entities all over the world have been given a deadline of 2015 to switch from analogue to digital transmission. This switch has been coined ‘digital migration.’
The trip gave me an opportunity to look at our society from a different perspective – a first world country. From this vantage point, it is easy to see that some of the country’s key problems can be solved through innovation and fresh thinking. However, the aforementioned can only be achieved if society adapts itself to this new mindset. We could, as a country, learn a lot from how the Scandinavian nation has tackled its economic and social challenges to become one of the top nations on its continent from a position of relative poverty 100 years ago. Sweden could be Zambia’s mentor.
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