Naeem Mawji - Wood Carver & Videographer

Naeem was born and raised in Tanzania. He has been passionate about art, and specifically carving wood, since his days in elementary school.  He interests have also included event planning, design, and videography. He hand-carved and recreated a 1000-year-old Fatimid door that was showcased during the International Jubilee Arts Festival in Lisbon.  Naeem was also the main architect for the artistic videos that were created by the Tanzanian Jamat during the Diamond Jubilee and the Jubilee Games. Building on this passion, Naeem has now created his own personal studio equipped with woodworking tools, a laser-cutter and a CNC milling machine. He constantly experiments with new designs and shares his work on social media under a personal brand called “Kisasa Design”.

Hear about his artist journey in his own words:

Naeem has a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of British Columbia, as well as a Master of Engineering in Clean Energy as an Aga Khan Foundation Fellow through its International Scholarship Program, also at UBC.  He has spent 10 years of his life implementing rural electrification projects in some of the most remote parts of Tanzania, winning several awards from the World Bank, US government and the government of Tanzania, and volunteers in this field by implementing renewable energy projects for various AKDN agencies.  Naeem has recently embarked on a new journey in his career as a Management Consultant at McKinsey & Company. He is most excited to get exposure to and help address some of the most challenging problems faced by companies, governments, and NGOs, particularly as they return to a post-pandemic new normal.  

Check out more of Naeem's work on Instagram