Mbulelo Mpofu, [email protected]
SWEDISH author, journalist, librarian and cultural enthusiast Karolina Jeppson says her recent research visit to Bulawayo has deepened her appreciation of the city’s literary landscape, community libraries and the role of local languages in preserving cultural identity.
Jeppson, who was a visiting scholar at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) in October, visited the city to conduct research under the African Literary Metadata (ALMEDA) project, a collaboration involving Sweden’s Uppsala University, NUST and South Africa’s Rhodes University.
Her visit also provided an opportunity to reconnect with a city with which she has developed a longstanding academic and cultural relationship, having previously conducted research in Bulawayo and surrounding areas.
“I really like the city (Bulawayo) a lot as a foreigner and I miss my bike. In Sweden, it gets dark earlier so I enjoy the sun here,” she said.
Her appreciation of Bulawayo’s sunshine is understandable, given the contrasting winter conditions back home. Last year, AFP reported that Stockholm recorded just half an hour of sunlight during the first half of December, putting it on course for its darkest December since 1934.
For Jeppson, Bulawayo’s sunshine is therefore something to savour, even as the city experiences changing weather patterns. She also chuckled about how her “Swenglish” occasionally gets in the way during conversations, offering a glimpse into the cultural exchanges that have characterised her time in Zimbabwe.
Born in southern Sweden and raised in a family of four sisters, Jeppson grew up with parents who taught at their local primary school.
Her academic journey eventually led her into cultural anthropology, librarianship and the documentation of African literary expression.
She holds a Master’s degree in Cultural Anthropology from Uppsala University and another in Library and Information Science from Lund University.
It was her studies in library and information science that brought her into closer academic engagement with Zimbabwe.
In 2024, she conducted research in Bulawayo, Gwanda and Inyathi for her thesis, titled “Leaving no one behind” – A study of public libraries and community work in southern Zimbabwe.
“The study explored the relationship between public libraries and their communities, particularly how these institutions facilitate access to knowledge and information.
“It was an eye-opener to work with local libraries in collaboration with the two universities in Sweden and South Africa,” she said.
Her research subsequently developed into practical collaborations with local institutions. Between 2024 and 2025, Jeppson worked with Bulawayo Public Library on an initiative aimed at strengthening the representation of local literature and languages in its collections. The project received support from a Swedish fund.
“In 2026, I initiated an exchange programme between public libraries in Sweden and Zimbabwe, focusing on sharing knowledge and experiences around library practices.
“The programme has so far involved digital engagements, with plans for physical exchanges in a second phase, subject to securing funding.
“I am also involved in research exploring ways of making local-language literary works, including poetry, theatre and storytelling, more accessible and properly documented,” said Jeppson.
Her latest visit to NUST was undertaken under the ALMEDA project, a five-year research initiative built around three interconnected ambitions: history, ontology and repository.
“The project seeks to document and organise African literary knowledge, making literary works, their histories and connections more visible and accessible through research and metadata,” she said.
Beyond her academic and library engagements, Jeppson has maintained an extensive relationship with African literature through writing, teaching and cultural exchange initiatives.
As a freelance writer and culture journalist, she has written about literary and musical landscapes across African countries, contributing to magazines, radio programmes and websites in Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Her literary portfolio includes two poetry collections and a book of travel stories. She also initiated the publication and Swedish translation of “Stomping on Prejudice”, an anthology featuring short stories by contemporary writers from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Additionally, she edits an annual magazine focusing on relations between Sweden and Burkina Faso.
Her engagement with Zimbabwean literature has also extended to collaborations with writers, including the late Ericah Gwetai and Philani Amadeus Nyoni.
Away from writing and research, Jeppson has worked in adult education, facilitating Creative Writing and Literature in Africa courses. She has also organised cultural exchanges connecting practitioners in Sweden with counterparts across the continent.
She serves as an editor for a national online educational platform for public libraries in Sweden. At Malmö City Library, where she is also employed, she runs the Swedish-Zimbabwean librarians’ exchange programme, reflecting her commitment to translating cultural exchange into practical institutional partnerships.
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