Africa's future is being shaped by people who are creating opportunities for young people, developing new ideas and building platforms that respond to the continent's needs. Among them is Nthanda Manduwi, a Malawian entrepreneur whose work spans education, technology, storytelling and youth empowerment.
Born and raised in Malawi, Manduwi has spent more than a decade building initiatives aimed at expanding access to digital skills, supporting young creatives and connecting African talent to opportunities in a rapidly changing world.
Her journey began with storytelling and a personal blog, which eventually developed into a broader commitment to education and entrepreneurship. In 2013, while studying at the University of Malawi, she founded Bien Corporation Africa, a digital and business solutions company that helps brands strengthen their digital presence. She later established the Ntha Foundation, a nonprofit focused on education, innovation and youth development.
Through these initiatives, Manduwi has worked to make digital learning more accessible, particularly to young people who may not have the same access to technology and professional development opportunities. Her work includes Digital Skills for Africa and Kwathu Kollective, an innovation ecosystem supporting African creatives, entrepreneurs, technologists and young professionals.
What began as a small training initiative has grown considerably. According to Kwathu Kollective, its early training cohort expanded from 30 participants in 2020 to 500 in 2021, reaching more than 10,000 people by 2024.
Her work has also extended into international development. Manduwi has worked with the United Nations, including its Development Programme, and served as project lead on the World Bank-funded Digital Malawi project, which supported digital skills development in the country. She has also worked with Microsoft, bringing together her experience in business, technology and development.
But Manduwi's vision goes beyond digital education. Through Kwathu Smart Innovation Farms, she is exploring how technology, agricultural training and simulation tools can help improve farming practices and strengthen food security.
The initiative combines smart farming technologies, autonomous agricultural robots and digital simulation tools to allow farmers and learners to experiment with crop management, water use and climate adaptation. The goal is to make agricultural innovation more accessible while supporting more resilient food production systems.
Her growing work in innovation has earned international recognition. In 2024, she received the Best International Youth Empowerment Award at the African Achievement Awards. In 2026, she was selected for the Rockefeller Foundation's inaugural Africa Big Bets Fellowship, which supports leaders developing solutions to major development challenges.
For Manduwi, the journey from storytelling and digital skills education to agricultural technology reflects a continuing interest in how African communities can build systems that create lasting opportunities.
Through her work, she is contributing to conversations about how technology, education and entrepreneurship can support Africa's development while creating more room for young people to participate in shaping the continent's future.
Nthanda Manduwi's story is a reminder that empowering Africa's next generation involves more than giving young people access to technology. It also means creating the platforms, skills and opportunities they need to turn their ideas into meaningful work.
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