Naveena Inavolu and Sailaja Pampana are two of a growing number of accompanying H2 Green Steel employees creating a new life in Boden. Now Sailaja and Naveena are serving their spicy Indian dishes in Boden’s first work-integrated social enterprise Yalla Boden.
In the wake of green industrialization in Boden, there is an influx of accompanying families and spouses to find a new place in life and the world. Naveena Inavolu and Sailaja Pampana have traded the heat of India for a dream of offering hot Indian flavors to the people of Boden. Now it is about to become a reality. When the municipal councilor Claes Nordmark inaugurated the new work-integrated social enterprise Yalla Boden, Naveena and Sailaja made a guest appearance with their authentic Indian dishes.
Creating a new life
They arrived in spring-winter to Boden almost exactly one year ago. For the first time, the families accompanied the fathers of the two families out into the world. The men were hand-picked for the specialist skills that will be needed in the coming years to build up H2 Green Steel’s operations in Boden.
For the accompanying families, coming to a new country is a transformative time with all that it entails. A new language, new tastes and customs, changing seasons, snow, northern lights, skiing, gingerbread baking and midnight sun have marked their everyday life during their first year in Sweden. Sailaja and Naveena study Swedish at SFI.
The children have learned how to ski and they play football in Boden’s colors. Photo: Mats Engfors
Early on, Naveena and Sailaja were determined to learn Swedish and find their own employment while their husbands work and their children are at the International School of Boden. From both Indian and Swedish friends, they got the signal that genuine Indian food is much sought after in Boden.
Yalla Boden
The idea of their own business began to be jokingly discussed in the families as ‘Indian Housewives kitchen’. In spring 2024, they came into contact with Yalla Boden, which is Boden’s first work-integrated social enterprise. Yalla Boden was inaugurated in April by serving Indian food, prepared by Naveena and Sailaja in cooperation with Maria Turdieva, the manager. The heart of Yalla Boden is work integration for the target group of foreign-born women. Food has a central place with the plan to have a variety of themes and food cultures. Gradually, more services, activities and topics to meet around will emerge based on the abilities and desires associated with the company through employees and volunteers.
“Yalla Boden should be a place of culture, flavors, warmth, love and joy, and highlight the women who come here and the knowledge they bring with them. The goal is to have a new country with new women every week,” says Maria Turdieva, who is in charge of operations. Photo: KOMM/Municipality of Boden
“This is the first time we have the opportunity to show our cooking in this way here in Sweden. We are very happy and grateful for that,” says Sailaja between the two initial and fully booked sessions at Yalla’s premises in central Boden.
In addition to more guest appearances at Yalla Boden, the dream is to set up a business with authentic Indian food in Boden.
Sailaja Pampana
Naveena Inavolu
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On the Move to Boden website, you will also find Boden Municipality’s relocation service, which assists with everything from practical questions to introducing what we call närhetsliv – leisure activities, tourist destinations, trade, public services and more.
