By Fostina Mkandawire, MANA
The 10 students that traveled to China under Huawei sponsorship for a two-week Seeds for the Future training program, arrived back in the country on Sunday after undergoing training in latest technological advancements.
Speaking on arrival at the Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe, one of the students, Nighe Gwaza — who is studying computer Science at DMI St John the Baptist University — described the trip as insightful, saying at Huawei headquarters in China they were taught latest trends in technology such as 5G, configuring 5G base station and building a carrier network.
They were seen off to China by Minister of
Information Mark Botomani
She said she was amazed at how China was technologically advanced observing that everything in China has gone digital, from the infrastructural part to the agricultural sector.
”The technical side of China is amazing, they are advanced to get access to anything in China we had to scan barcodes, almost everything is computerized,” she said.
She then said the only way that Malawi can also develop at a faster rate was to incorporate ICT in all sectors, which boosted China’s economy.
Huawei headquarters in China
Gwaza said they were also taught the agricultural side of China, like smart fishing and advanced irrigation farming.
She, therefore, said since Malawi is an agricultural dependent country, she would do a project to explore on how best to contextualize what she learnt.
“I will apply what I have learnt in China in local context, I want to see my country advancing technologically,” she said.
Huawei Malawi’s public relations specialist, Mundisunge Mnoki was optimistic that the students would apply what they have learnt in China in their different ICT fields.
She said the design of the training was tailored to suit Malawian technological needs, hence it was easier for the students to grasp the context of the training.
“This program is important because we have seen how past students have benefitted from the trip, in their studies and their career as a whole, therefore Huawei pledges to continue supporting this program,” she said.
The students were selected from different ICT training institutions across the country and they traveled to Beijing City in China and later proceeded to Shenzhen, the Headquarters of Huawei Technologies Limited.
The Seed for the Future is Huawei’s global corporate social responsibility flagship program, established in 2015, and it seeks to develop local ICT talent.