Together for mothers and children

The Kavli Trust has awarded two million Norwegian kroner to the non-profit organization Mamma United to help expand its course program for mothers in Sweden.

– I tell my husband and my daughters about everything I learn at Mamma United. They see that I’m happy when I come home from the meetings. I haven’t missed a single session, I’ve attended all of them. If I don’t understand something, I ask the lecturer to explain again. I’ve become much better at Swedish. All mothers should be able to attend Mamma United! – Mother participating in Mamma United.

– With this support, the Kavli Trust wants to help give more mothers in Sweden the opportunity to create a better future for themselves and their children. This is an important step toward promoting social inclusion and gender equality in local communities, says Ingrid Paasche, CEO of the Kavli Trust.

An important contribution to social inclusion

Mamma United was founded in 2020 by Anja Nordenfelt and aims to empower mothers, especially women born outside Sweden, who live in communities with limited resources.

With the support from the Kavli Trust, more mothers in municipalities facing socioeconomic challenges will gain access to knowledge, tools, and community that can improve both their own and their children’s living conditions.

Many participants in the program have low trust in public authorities and lack basic knowledge about Swedish society, which often leads to isolation and limited opportunities for both themselves and their children.

Through a course series of 12 sessions, each two hours long, the mothers receive education in topics such as personal finance, healthy eating habits, working life, domestic violence, and child development.
The program also focuses on integration, gender equality, and social inclusion, and gives participants the opportunity to create safe home environments and build a stronger foundation for the future.

– Mamma United’s work is a strong example of how real and positive change can be created in local communities, says Ingrid Paasche of the Kavli Trust.

– By empowering mothers, we strengthen families, and this has a direct impact on children’s upbringing and living conditions, she continues.

– I’ve learned a lot of new things about food. I have a better understanding of what my children like to eat. I will buy better food, even if it costs a little more, says one mother.

Expansion to new municipalities

Now even more mothers will be given this opportunity.

With support from the Kavli Trust, Mamma United will be able to expand its course offering to four new municipalities each year during the period 2024–2026. The program will be offered free of charge to the new municipalities, but they must commit to continuing the initiative for three years if the agreed results are achieved.

– Many Swedish municipalities have limited resources and are cautious about investing in preventive measures, says Paasche.

– Our support makes it possible for more municipalities to test this model, which has already proven to be effective.

In autumn 2024, the courses will be offered in 13 municipalities and 17 areas, mainly around the Mälardalen region but with increasing reach to other parts of the country.

Documented results

Mamma United’s work is based on previous successful experience, and evaluations show that the program has a positive effect on both mothers and their children. The courses help increase the mothers’ knowledge, self-confidence, and ability to create safe home environments, while children gain better conditions for growing up.

Anja Nordenfelt has extensive experience as an entrepreneur, including her previous work with the organization En Frisk Generation, which is also supported by the Kavli Trust.

Long-term perspective

The support for Mamma United is part of the Kavli Trust’s initiative to strengthen mental health and create good conditions for children and young people to grow up.

– This project is an important investment in creating lasting change for some of the most vulnerable groups in Swedish society. We are proud to be able to contribute to giving more mothers access to this model, which we know has a strong impact, says Paasche.

Facts about the projects

Recipient: Mamma United
Granted amount: 2 million Norwegian kroner
Project period: 2024–2026
Main objective: To strengthen mothers and families in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas through knowledge and community