South African Asanda Mkize has been named among just 1,500 women worldwide selected for the Women Techsters Fellowship Class of 2026, a year-long programme run by Tech4Dev, with headquarters in Washington DC.
Out of more than 14,000 applicants across 70 countries, Mkize will be among the South African representatives in a fellowship that seeks to close the digital and technology divide for women across Africa.
Born in St Wendolins Ridge, Pinetown and busy completing her BCom Honours in Economics at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Mkize is pursuing the data science and engineering track of the fellowship.
“The first six months of the year-long online fellowship include in-depth learning. In my case, it would be data science and engineering,” Mkize told TimesLIVE Premium.
“The second six months are about volunteering, internships or starting businesses and gaining actual experience to launch our careers.”
Her path into technology began with a problem she faced as a student.
“In my second year of university, I had a business idea that required me to create a website. A friend who was studying computer science at the time told me he could build it for R20,000 — money I didn’t have. He said, ‘If you’re that passionate about your idea, why don’t you learn how to code and create the website yourself?’”
The 25-year-old Durban student added: “It was scary, but I went back, googled, and came across academies that offered learning Python and coding for free. Along the way, I came across data analytics, and that was much more exciting for me. Data analytics meant I could create business ideas through real insights about people — demographics, what they spend money on — and tailoring solutions.”
Her curiosity in tech also gave her the confidence to launch her own e-commerce business, Snak Shack, an online platform serving students on her UKZN campus.
“One of the challenges I’ve faced in my snack business at UKZN is that my customers have been sceptical about ordering through the website. Most prefer WhatsApp because they feel safer. I built the website to automate the process for both myself and customers, since it helps me manage orders around my lecture schedule, and I even added a cash-on-delivery option so they don’t feel scammed.”
Mkize says being chosen from such a competitive pool has been deeply meaningful.
Being in this fellowship is not just about me learning. It’s about what I can take back to my community, and how I can help scale up what I create from one community to other parts of Africa
— Asanda Mkize
“By God’s grace, I got in on my first application. I know women who had tried multiple times before being accepted, so I feel incredibly fortunate. Representing South Africa on this stage is an honour. Initiatives like Tech4Dev give us the chance to break those barriers and lead innovation.”
Looking to the future, Mkize sees her fellowship as a stepping stone.
“I’m passionate about economic development. I want to be a policy analyst one day, and I know I need data science to make informed decisions and create development ideas that truly serve people. I also hope to work for the UN. Being in this fellowship is not just about me learning. It’s about what I can take back to my community, and how I can help scale up what I create from one community to other parts of Africa.”
For Mkize, the journey started with curiosity — and that’s the message she hopes others take from her success.
“I encourage young women to be curious, ask questions and pursue the AI and tech space.”
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