What is Swahili Sensations anyway?

Have you seen Swahili Sensations pop up in your feed on Facebook or Instagram?

Swahili Sensations is a Social Enterprise based in Australia. They have made it their mission to deliver handmade luxuries to you and your home. Jewellery, baskets, rugs, throws, books, toys, bunting, and lots more - all handmade, and all of amazing quality.

And here’s the best part: 10% of their profits are being donated to us! That means every time you buy something you have automatically contributed to our existence. Isn’t that just amazing?

Why Swahili Sensations?

Nina Hjortlund, who has founded Swahili Sensations says: “Our goal is four-fold. We want to bring handmade luxury to you and your home. Unique and one-of-a-kind items of the best quality that you can’t find anywhere else.

We want to showcase the exquisite handcrafts coming out of East Africa. Giving you an opportunity to see some of the amazing things that otherwise doesn’t make it to the Australian nor international market.

We want to give you the opportunity to support a local artisan for their skilled and talented work. By supporting the makers directly you are providing them with a pathway out of poverty not only for themselves but for their entire families.

And of course, we want to support efficient and effective change through Australia for Cedar Tanzania. That’s why we donate 10% of our profits to them.”

Full disclosure

You may have recognised the name, Nina is also the CEO of Australia for Cedar Tanzania. Isn’t that confusing?

“Being the CEO of Australia for Cedar Tanzania is an amazing job and allows us to see the positive and sustainable change our projects provide. Being a not-for-profit sometimes has it limitations and there are certain things that are harder to do within the concept and framework that provides. That is why I decided to personally create Swahili Sensations. Having a social enterprise opens up for a whole other set of ways we can support people to lift themselves out of poverty - and at the same time provide you with some of the beautiful and amazing thing that are being produced across East Africa.” Nina says.

Handpicked by Nina

Nina personally handpicks each item for Swahili Sensations on her trips. She meets with the artisans in various parts of the region and makes sure each item is of the best quality. On occasion, the artisans will make items exclusively for Swahili Sensations, suited to our valuable customers.

Although Swahili Sensations are an Australia based company they happily ship worldwide.

where to find Swahili Sensations

Swahili Sensations is a fully online shop. You can have look at all the amazing collection of handmade crafts here, or you can follow Swahili Sensations on Facebook or Instagram.

Winner of the "CEO of the Year Award 2023"

Nina Hjortlund not only got nominated in the category for CEO of the Year 2023 in the category for Best Community Empowerment Organisation. She also WON!

Below we share the article APAC Insider has publicised upon announcing the winner

Tanzania acts as a home to approximately 60 million people, but, unfortunately, 90% of said population lives in poverty. Just over half of the populace are living on a daily income that amounts to less than the cost of a takeaway coffee, with almost 50 million having to manage their lives on significantly less.

Its people struggle with what is inarguably the definition of extreme poverty, and this is something that Nina Hjortlund, CEO of Australia for Cedar Tanzania has recognised. We investigate how Nina utilises her position to advocate for a better tomorrow for the people of Tanzania.

Poverty is a horrendous state of living that has unfortunately struck a vast majority of the globe, and it’s an issue that has been ongoing for countless years. It’s a vicious cycle that traps adults and children alike, and introduces a whole host of problems that affect the entire world. Australia for Cedar Tanzania, spearheaded by Nina Hjortlund, aims to do all it can to influence change, however. Be it through its on-the-ground projects, or its informative articles on how important it is to contribute towards change, it’s devoted to making a true difference that’ll benefit the people struggling the most. 

Australia for Cedar Tanzania provides volunteers and advisors wherever necessary to its on-the-ground organisation, Cedar Tanzania, in order to try to build up a better state of living for the population of Tanzania. Not only does it provide education and better healthcare, but it contributes towards empowering the local populace to ensure that their voices are heard. It strongly values respect, safety, quality, partnerships, forgiveness, and integrity, and adheres to these prospects to deliver world-changing assistance those who desperately need it. 

At the forefront of all of this is Nina, a CEO unlike any other. After having lived in Tanzania for 13 years, Nina founded Australia for Cedar Tanzania – an organisation that supports the implementation of projects that are each built around the desire to provide more for the people of Tanzania. She takes a holistic approach towards poverty alleviation, and is already creating a sustainable and positive change for over 35,000 residents in rural Tanzania. But this is just the beginning, and Nina is constantly spreading awareness through multiple platforms and methods. 

Since establishing Australia for Cedar Tanzania, Nina has expanded the business with Swahili Sensations in 2020, which focuses on importing handmade crafts with a modern twist from Tanzania. The entire purpose of Swahili Sensations is to secure the culture and livelihood of artisans across East Africa, and its success is all thanks to Nina’s compassionate approach towards collaboration. She is frequently developing new ideas and proposing new projects, and her work is quite clearly making a difference within rural Tanzanian communities.

However, despite being well equipped to lead Australia for Cedar Tanzania, Nina still isn’t satisfied with her current level of knowledge. As such, she follows her pursuit of continuous learning, and is currently undertaking a Micro Master’s at Queensland University in Leadership and Global Development. She does this, all whilst managing the practises of Australia for Cedar Tanzania. Her determination to give her best to the people who need it the most is truly inspiring, and it’s visible through every action and project that Cedar Tanzania undertakes.

Nina puts her heart into the difference she’s making and will never hesitate to explain to anyone who’s curious just how crucial it is to eliminate poverty. Her beliefs are steadfast and admirable, and the work that she’s encouraging has already proven to be making a monumental difference. And yet, Nina is insistent that more work can always be done, and it’s this dedication towards advocating for the people of Tanzania that truly makes her a CEO that stands out among the rest. 

Thank you for celebrating with us.

Best Innovation in Corporate Social Responsibility

Australia for Cedar Tanzania received a Highly Commended award for our mushroom project in Tanzania.

This award is part of Australia-Africa Minerals and Energy Group’s (AAMEG) yearly Africa Awards presented as part of the Africa Downunder (ADU) conference.

ADU is the largest mining conference with a focus on Africa held outside Africa, and AAMEG is the peak body representing Australian companies engaged in the development of Africa’s resource industry. 

What is Kilimu Bora | Smart Farming?

Kilimu Bora means Smart Farming in Swahili. All projects under this banner revolve around food security, entrepreneurship, gender equality, climate change, nutritional health, and the environment.

Our first Smart Farming project has been the establishment of mushroom farming. This includes mushroom growth, drying methods, business skills and export agreements.

Mushroom farming as a business is new in Tanzania, and we are one of the leading pioneers in the area.

Through this project we are addressing a range of social, economic, and environmental challenges. We provide skilled training for vulnerable groups such as young women and people with disabilities and their household members.

Participants are offered hands-on of training, in which they are taught both the agricultural and business aspects of operating and managing a mushroom farm. The training includes how to grow and harvest mushrooms, preparing substrate, drying and packaging, how to meet international sterilisation and hygiene standards, quality control, bookkeeping, environmental best practises and compliance, market navigation, and customer service. The participants also learn how to source organic substrate materials locally and how to store this for optimal produce production.

Our high-quality mushrooms can be sold both locally and internationally thanks to our innovative custom-built driers, not using electricity but only the heat from the sun and a clever use of the airflow.

During the selection of participants priority was given to young women and to people with disabilities or their household members.

Gender inequality is prevalent in Tanzania and starts for girls already at a very young age when they often are deprived of the chance of an education in favour of their brothers. Without a good education, many girls and young women will remain both financially and emotionally dependent on parents, partners, or husbands. People with disabilities bear the double burden of poverty and exclusion due to financial, social, and environmental barriers coupled with a high degree of stigma present across Tanzania.

Why Mushrooms? 

90% of the Tanzanian population of 60 million people are living on less than $5.00 PPP. 49% is surviving on less $1.90 PPP per day – the international definition of severe poverty. Of these, the vast majority, 80%, are living in rural areas such as the Nyamatongo Ward.

Choosing mushrooms as the vehicle for agri-business is beneficial for several reasons:

No Land Required

Mushrooms are grown in buckets and indoors, and hence easier allow women and disabled people to become equal participants in their family’s and community’s economic life.

Research shows that fewer women and people with disabilities own land, and that they do not have equal access to manual labour.

Year-Round Crop, Independent of Rainfall

Through careful selection of species and growing conditions, mushrooms can be grown year-round regardless of change in rain patterns.

Climate change has shown irregularities to rainfall in the region with current draught and famine in the Horn of Africa. More specifically, the Mwanza region has experienced persistent irregular rainfall over the last number of years, which can have extensively harmful effects on local agriculture.

Minimal Initial Investment

This allows for economic opportunity even for women and people with disabilitiess with minimal control of their family finances.

Our project encourages collaborative farming and includes financial support and training during the initial set-up period.

Fast Return on Investment

The mushroom growth cycle can be as short as 8-10 weeks, allowing farmers to see profit extremely quickly.

This is important for the ability to establish income and re-investment in next growth cycle.

Not Labour Intensive

Mushrooms can easily be grown by any member of the household without the need to hire additional help. One of the main barriers seen to extensive farming is access to labour and machinery.

No Educational Background Required

After a relatively short training period, participants are ready to begin cultivating mushrooms.

We embrace a hands-on learning process which allows participants to gain the necessary skills no matter previous level of schooling and their academic capabilities.

High Nutritional Value

Mushrooms are rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals and provide an excellent nutritional boost in areas that suffer from malnutrition such as the communities in which we are working.

Community Benefits

We encourage all our participants to establish collaborative farms servicing the local community. Collaborative farming minimises investment costs for the participants including cost to transport bio waste, initial purchases of buckets and tools, and a cost-effective solution to house the farm.

A collaborative farm has other advantages too: the strength of the shared knowledge and the ability to support each other in farming duties. This increases the success rate of the farm as well as enhances the quality of the produce.

By giving a preference to women and people with disabilities and their household members we are ensuring the initiative is supporting the most vulnerable groups within the community. Through research, it has been proven that when women are being supported in taking up income generating activities, the financial outcome is then reinvested for the benefit of the entire household i.e., invested in children’s education and health or in long-term and sustainable investments in collective living standards.

Having an increased production of fresh mushrooms will benefit the entire community of more than 35,000 people through access to an additional and affordable crop with high nutritional value.

Stunted growth and development are caused by a combination of malnutrition, prolonged and repeated infections, and untreated worms and parasites. This is common sight as it affects 38% of children under 5 years old in rural Tanzania. Supplementing their diets with oyster mushrooms will assist in combatting stunted growth in children.

 Sustainability

Responsible Cyclic Agriculture and Prevents the Burning of Agricultural Waste

Our mushrooms are grown on agricultural waste, saving expenses, and preventing the common practice of burning waste.

Avoiding burning of agricultural waste ties in with climate change best practises.

No Pesticides or Fertiliser Required

This both saves on expenses while also ensuring no chemical runoff or harmful agricultural practices. Spent substrates can be reused or sold as fertilizer after the mushroom growth is complete.

With the current hike in fertiliser price and scarce availability this makes mushroom farming a very appealing and cost-effective crop. In addition, in rural areas women are often at a significant disadvantage in regard to purchasing quality fertiliser, since access to such products are often prioritized towards male farmers.

Long-Term Financial Growth Potential

There are several ways a farm could expand: Entrepreneurs can expand into more exotic, high-value mushroom strands as their financial stability increases. Alternatively, there is a growing market for medicinal mushrooms.

Further several niche products are being produced such as mushroom leather, mushroom bricks, or to dispose of oil spills and non-degradable waste products.

Part of our long-term project plan is to provide a safety-net option to purchase any surplus production which will be dried and exported as wholesale to the international market.

High Demand on the International Market

Dried mushrooms have a one-year shelf life and can be sold internationally to a wide range of customers. This includes both B2B and B2C customers, wholesaling, distribution, and to businesses for further processing.

We currently have buyers in Singapore and in East Africa for distribution in Europe and in the USA.

Financial Sustainability after Seed-Funding

After initial central set-up and establishment of first round of collaborative farms the project is financially sustainable with income generated from export of central production as well as surplus production from the collaborative farms.

As a not-for-profit, any financial surplus will be re-invested into further strengthening and expansion of the mushroom project or into our healthcare services.

Furthermore, interest has already been shown from international impact investing companies for further scaling and expansion.

Scalability to other areas

Long-term plans include scaling this project to other areas outside of Nyamatongo Ward. Interest for our project has been shown by organisations working in the refugee camps in the Kigoma area housing approximately 250,000 residents.

Additionally, a potential collaboration with companies working with other dried fruit and vegetables could be imagined. Also in this area, interest has been shown from potential partner companies.

What now?

Currently we are actively seeking seed funding for a year-long upscaling after which the project is financially sustainable.

Our goals include creating a permanent production and ongoing teaching centre at our Community Centre. In the first year we are aiming to have successfully trained 200 residents in mushroom farming. We will deliver ongoing support to new farms and provide teaching in business skills and banking.

Wellbeing and nutritional health will improve throughout the area for all its residents. There will be a steady supply of highly nutritious locally sourced produce and indirectly an increase in household income. It will also strengthen women and people with disabilities position in their communities. 

Through an upscaled project we will also be able to safety-net newly established mushroom farms against loss from over-production by setting up procedures to approve and test each farm is in alignment with international requirements allowing their produce to be used for export.

You can of course help us get a head start towards our ambitious AUD $150,000 goal by clicking on the big green button to donate. Even $20 gets us towards this goal.

If you want to know more about the project you can contact Nina here.

 Thank you!

Why should a not-for-profit be a member of a private sector industry group?

Yesterday was my first day as a member of AAMEG. AAMEG stands for Australia-Africa Minerals & Energy Group.

What am I, as the head of a Not-for-profit, doing as a member of a mining and oil & gas industry group?

The thing is, we have successfully collaborated with the private sector on several projects. Many of these private sector companies being from the mining industry. 

AAMEG CEO Roger Staley

How do we collaborate?

To me, a collaboration is not just for a private sector company to hand over a cheque and then be done with their ESG commitments. I like to invite the private sector to actively participate with their knowledge and expertise. This could be sharing technical knowledge, that could improve delivery of a project. Or lend us administrative capacity, that is more efficient than what we have access to. It can be practical assistance with logistics or training workshops. The possibilities are endless.

What can we offer the mineral and energy sector?

Our strength is we work holistically and on many different projects simultaneously. We have great experience in project development and therefore we can align any of our projects to fit in with your company’s core values.

Another strength is our global registrations. With our on-the-ground entity “Cedar Tanzania” being registered in Tanzania as an NGO, Australia for Cedar Tanzania in Australia, and further registrations and offices in Switzerland and Bulgaria, we have many people and networks to draw on. 

Through that, we can also guarantee we are adhering to rules and regulations in whichever country we are working in.

Well, this goes for any private sector we collaborate with. Not only the mineral and energy sector.

Do you want to collaborate too?

We welcome new partners, new ideas, new projects.

Send me an email and let's start the conversation.

"Supporting Globally Impacting Locally" - Nina Hjortlund featured on Wellthy Living

A real and unedited chat between Nina Hjortlund, Founding Director and CEO of Australia for Cedar Tanzania & ARTEFACTZ and Lisa Entwisle, Host and Founder of Wellthy Living.

Lisa and Nina met on Clubhouse, the audio-only platform, and from there the conversation grew. This conversation takes us through large parts of Nina’s journey, why she’s so passionate about Global Development and Tanzania but also talks about her personal life juggling CEO-life with being a single mum.

You can read more about Nina and her journey here: “Going on a 13-year long holiday” and here: “Am I an imposter”

If you want to contact Nina for an interview or as a speaker you can contact her here

Am I an imposter?

I have just written an article for Women and Leadership Australia but since it is behind a membership wall I want to share it with you here.

Seeing myself as a leader didn’t come easy to me.

I still clearly remember the day I felt confident enough to sign my email with “Founding Director and CEO”. With my heart in my throat and fingers shaking I pressed send. Of course, no one noticed, and no one commented on it. They already saw me as the leader I am, and it was only a natural addition to my signature.

How come it was so hard for me to realise I was a leader? Had I fallen victim to the infamous imposter syndrome?

To feel like an imposter, you must first believe you are in a position you are not qualified for or that you haven’t earned (whether it is true or not). I never felt like an imposter; I never felt I was pretending to be something that I wasn’t.

That same week I had been at a gathering hosted by a very dear friend of mine. A rather relaxed affair and although I knew most of the people there were a few people I hadn’t met before. As I am an extrovert with a capital E and find no better way to soak up some energy, I was in my element.

My friend was introducing me to one of the other guests - and suddenly something clicked! He was using words that I had never thought of using to describe myself. Like “Entrepreneur”, “Leader” and “Founding Director”. Only then did I realise 'that is was what I am.'

Through this experience, I am now taking my leadership skills much more seriously. Evaluating my skills, identifying my strengths and weaknesses, becoming much clearer in my leadership.

To really extend my knowledge and to sharpen my skill set as a leader I have chosen to take a MicroMasters through the University of Queensland in Leadership in Global Development.

To continue to expand my knowledge and to actively participate in continued learning is important to drive and grow my business.

Doing business across continents and in developing countries definitely has its challenges but one of my greatest strengths is that I see it as just that: challenges. Challenges can be overcome and there is always a solution to be found.

My definition of success is when all the parts fits the puzzle.

When we see positive changes in the lives of our beneficiaries, when our team is performing at their best and is happy to come to work every day, and when our CSR partnerships benefit everyone involved.

That is also what drives my passion and why I wake up excited to work. This is what brings me joy. It also makes me happy to be a positive role model for my children. To show them that women can be leaders and entrepreneurs too.

Nina Hjortlund delivers with great insight and knowledge, the reasons why Africa matters and why Global Development has an impact on you and your business. Dedication, passion and enthusiasm drive her entrepreneurial personality, and she is a firm believer in creating opportunities rather than waiting for them.

Through her many years in Africa, and in Tanzania in particular, she has developed an understanding of the multifaceted issues people are facing on a daily basis in the developing world. Believing in continuous learning she is currently undertaking a MicroMasters at Queensland University in Leadership in Global Development. Nina is mother to four children of which two still are living at home. Her two eldest children are currently studying in Denmark.

Visit from Australia

My name is Nina Hjortlund, although most people in Mwanza know me as Mama Nina; a combination of a surname that is next to impossible for non-Danish people to pronounce and cultural respect in Tanzania. I lived in Tanzania for 13 years and Tanzania still has a part of my heart and soul. I am a mother of four children and a crazy puppy.

I was born in Denmark but have always enjoyed traveling and besides Tanzania, I have also lived in Egypt for a number of years. I now live in Perth, Australia, since August 2018, which is where I founded Australia for Cedar Tanzania, ACT!

Australia for Cedar Tanzania is working to raise funds, awareness and attract volunteers for Cedar Tanzania. Our aim is to enable Cedar Tanzania to continue current projects, and potentially expand into new areas as well.

We do this through grant applications, social media, fundraising campaigns, events, communications, networking and partnerships.

In the short time we have existed, we have achieved quite a few milestones: We have conducted three crowdfunding campaigns securing lifesaving medical equipment for Kamanga Health Centre, secured partly funding for our TackleAfrica project and we are able to provide funds for our upcoming Clean Water project.

We have also received a grant in social media marketing and been shortlisted to UK Aid Directs Community Grant – we are holding our breaths as results are coming out any day now.

Currently, we are developing a partnership with Western Australia’s Department of Health to conduct an up-skilling training programme for our midwives and nurses. The project is called GHAWA (Global Health Alliance Western Australia) and was formed as part of a partnership with World Health Organisation (WHO).

GHAWA will provide Australian midwives to teach a midwifery programme that is tailored to the needs of Kamanga Health Centre’s staff. This will ensure that the health centre is able to provide the highest level of service and care to its patients.

Many new projects and events are on the schedule for 2020 – make sure you are signed up to our newsletter to be the first to know.

What are your main roles as Director of Australia for Cedar Tanzania!

Australia for Cedar Tanzania is still a small entity and I am the only employee so far.

This means I get to wear all the hats! – CEO, bookkeeper, marketing, report writing, fundraiser, writing grant applications, secretary, stall holder, web designer, and everything else in between.

As a Founding Director, I am ultimately responsible for ensuring that the company adheres to the laws of Australia and that all reporting is done in a timely manner. It is also my responsibility to ensure Australia for Cedar Tanzania is financially sound, and that all taxes and fees are being paid.

Australia for Cedar Tanzania is a not-for-profit, which means all profits we make goes straight into Cedar Tanzania.

What do you enjoy most about your role?

Although it can sometimes be stressful, I enjoy wearing all the hats and the diversity that comes along with it.

In one day, I can be keeping books and attending a webinar in the morning, updating social media and our web page in the afternoon, and meeting politicians and stakeholders by the evening.

I find much satisfaction in knowing every little thing I do has the aim of helping the Nyamatongo community to be stronger and more self-sufficient, and that they will gain more opportunities and improve their overall living standards.

I enjoy being my own boss, setting my goals high and aiming for the stars. I work alone, which takes lots of self-discipline and organisation but it also has many benefits. One of them is that I can move my hours around my children’s schedule. This often means that many of my work hours occur in the evenings after my children have gone to bed.

What do you find most challenging about your role?

Working alone. As I mentioned above it has its benefits,but it also has its downfalls. Being well aware of them makes me able to counter them before they become a problem.

Luckily thanks to today’s technology I can stay in daily contact with our team in Tanzania – WhatsApp, Skype, FaceTime and Messenger make communicating easy and accessible.

Linking with other similar businesses here in Australia is another important aspect of my tasks, which helps to know how to go about running a business here. Meeting with like-minded people for inspiration and collaboration on a regular basis is vital for growth and overcoming challenges.

Oh, and bookkeeping is just not my favourite thing to do…

Tell us about your most recent visit to Cedar Tanzania

I have just returned from a three weeks visit to Tanzania. Needless to say it was AMAZING!

I loved being able to see the Cedar Tanzania team face to face and it was a pleasure to spend the first week both in the office in Mwanza and with the team in Nyamatongo Ward.

All our projects look fantastic and I am so proud of all the achievements our staff has accomplished. I am humbled and impressed with the dedication and passion every single member of the Cedar Tanzania team shows every single day. It truly warmed my heart to see.

The project manager for the GHAWA project, Sally Dawit, came from Dar es Salaam to inspect Kamanga Health Centre and was highly impressed with the level of standards we deliver every day.

I also met with a couple of our long-term Corporate Social Responsibility partners such as Sandvik Mining and Construction Tanzania and Bamboo Rock Drilling. We are proud to have a well-functioning and positive CSR approach where all involved benefit from the partnership.

I miss Tanzania every day – and I feel very lucky being able to have both Australia and Tanzania in my life all at once.

How can people take action?

There are many ways you can be part of our journey.

First and foremost, sign up to our newsletter to know about our projects, the amazing people we meet on a daily basis and learn how changing lives happens every day.

We have a donation option on our website – in Australia all donations over $2 are tax deductible.

You can volunteer with us – send me a mail and hear how.

Does your company have a CSR or workplace giving programme? Contact us and hear how we can collaborate.

And something as simple as commenting and sharing our posts on social media (find us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter) helps us enormously. So next time you see a post: give us a shout and share it on!