Kenya has made a significant mark on the global tech stage, with an all-girl team securing second place in the Cloud category at the prestigious Global Huawei ICT Competition held in Shenzhen, China. The team, consisting of Ifrah Hussein and Beverly Ndombi from Moi University and Banzy from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), emerged as standout performers in a competition that attracted participants from across the globe.
The achievement marks a proud moment for Kenya and further cements its growing reputation in the global ICT landscape. The team’s exceptional performance was recognized at the awards ceremony held today, Saturday, May 24, following five days of rigorous competition that began on Tuesday, May 20.
This year’s competition was the 9th edition since Huawei launched the initiative in 2015. Over the years, the program has evolved into one of the largest and most competitive technology education platforms in the world. It has attracted more than 960,000 students from over 2,000 universities and colleges spanning upwards of 100 countries and regions.
The Huawei ICT Competition offers a comprehensive learning and competitive experience through hands-on labs, workshops, and simulations of real-world scenarios, all designed and facilitated by Huawei-certified instructors. Participants learn to apply their skills in critical areas such as networking, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence (AI).
This year’s finals featured four main tracks: network, cloud, computing, and innovation, allowing participants to demonstrate their technical abilities and innovative thinking across various fields. The Kenyan delegation was composed of 12 students, divided into four teams, each participating in different competition tracks.
The outstanding performance of Team Kenya’s cloud specialists is particularly noteworthy not just because of their technical prowess, but also because they were the only all-female team from Kenya to reach the global finals, a testament to the increasing role of women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).
Accompanying the Kenyan finalists to the event was Fikirini Katoi Kahindi, Principal Secretary of the State Department of Youth and Creative Economy. PS Kahindi praised the team for their dedication and expressed optimism about the future of Kenya’s digital economy, highlighting the critical role such international platforms play in nurturing the next generation of tech leaders.
“This achievement is not just a win for the students or the institutions they represent, but for the entire nation,” said Kahindi. “It shows that with the right support and exposure, our young people can compete and succeed at the highest levels globally.”
The 2024–2025 edition of the Huawei ICT Competition, themed “Connection, Glory and Future,” has seen unprecedented participation, with over 210,000 students and teachers registering from more than 2,000 institutions worldwide. The competition continues to be a beacon of opportunity for aspiring ICT professionals, offering them a platform to hone their skills and gain international recognition.
As the curtains fall on this year’s event, Kenya’s second-place finish in the Cloud category stands as a powerful reminder of the country’s burgeoning potential in the digital space, and of the bright future ahead for its youth in the global technology arena.
Written By Rodney Mbua
