For Pemphero Kanyenda, a fourth-year student at Mzuzu University, developing cybersecurity skills comes with a challenge that goes beyond the classroom: poor internet connectivity where she lives. It is a difficulty that could limit her ability to research, practise and keep up with a field increasingly important to Malawi’s digital security.
That challenge took on a different meaning on Thursday when Kanyenda received a 4G router from Airtel Malawi, with a year’s internet subscription, following a cybersecurity competition organised by the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA).
“From where I stay, the network connectivity is very poor, and having this router means a lot,” Kanyenda said, describing how the device would help her access the internet more easily and pursue her learning.
Her experience raises a question that extends beyond the donation: how can Malawi prepare young people to defend its digital systems when access to the internet, an essential tool for developing those skills, remains a challenge for some students?
Cybersecurity requires more than theoretical knowledge. Students need opportunities to research emerging threats, understand how digital systems are attacked and practise securing them. When connectivity is unreliable or expensive, those opportunities can become harder to access.
For students already working towards careers in the field, the cost of internet access can also compete with other educational expenses.
Ellen Mavuka, a final-year student at Mzuzu University, said the routers would help students save money on internet bundles and conduct more research.
She attributed her team’s success in the competition partly to teamwork, explaining that members divided tasks into smaller sections and shared what they learned during discussions.
Their experience illustrates the importance of collaboration in cybersecurity training. However, developing such skills also requires sustained access to the resources students need to continue learning beyond organised competitions.
The issue matters because Malawi’s growing use of digital services creates a corresponding need to protect people and institutions from online threats. Internet access has opened opportunities in communication, education and commerce, but it has also created avenues for scams, cybercrime and attacks on digital systems.
MACRA Director General Mayamiko Nkoloma said the authority organised the cybersecurity drill and conference to build the capacity of students and professionals from different sectors to respond to cyber threats.
The programme brought together students and experts from sectors including finance and utilities, with the aim of strengthening their ability to protect systems and respond when attacks occur.
Nkoloma said approximately 15 universities applied to participate in the competition, with five shortlisted. The best three universities were recognised, while Airtel provided routers to the winning students.
He described collaboration with private companies and other institutions as essential because MACRA cannot tackle cybersecurity threats alone.
For Airtel Malawi, the donation was intended to help young people access the knowledge and tools needed to develop their technological skills.
Steve Kapoloma, Airtel Malawi’s head of corporate communication and corporate social responsibility, said the company believed the country’s future depended partly on how knowledgeable and skilled its young people became in solving problems and creating opportunities through technology.
He said Airtel wanted to empower students by providing connectivity and tools to support their learning in technology and cybersecurity.
The contribution offers the recipients a practical resource, particularly given the difficulties Kanyenda and Mavuka described. Yet the longer-term question is whether such support can be sustained and extended to other students facing similar barriers.
A year’s internet subscription can create room for more research and practice, but it does not establish what happens when the subscription expires. Nor does a router alone resolve poor network coverage in areas where connectivity remains unreliable.
Universities, telecommunications companies and public institutions therefore have a role to consider beyond rewarding competition winners: how to make the resources required for digital learning accessible to more young people.
The immediate beneficiaries may gain an advantage from the routers, but Malawi’s need for cybersecurity expertise extends beyond a handful of students. Building that expertise requires continued training, practical experience and access to the tools that allow students to apply what they learn.
For Kanyenda, the donation addresses a difficulty she already faces. Whether that opportunity translates into stronger cybersecurity skills will depend on how she uses the access available to her and what further opportunities she receives.
As Malawi continues to expand its digital activities, the country’s ability to defend itself online will depend not only on recognising talented young people, but also on creating conditions in which they can develop their skills.
The question, then, is not simply whether students can win routers. It is whether Malawi can ensure that the next generation of cyber defenders has the connectivity and practical opportunities needed to protect its digital future.
That challenge took on a different meaning on Thursday when Kanyenda received a 4G router from Airtel Malawi, with a year’s internet subscription, following a cybersecurity competition organised by the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA).
“From where I stay, the network connectivity is very poor, and having this router means a lot,” Kanyenda said, describing how the device would help her access the internet more easily and pursue her learning.
Her experience raises a question that extends beyond the donation: how can Malawi prepare young people to defend its digital systems when access to the internet, an essential tool for developing those skills, remains a challenge for some students?
Cybersecurity requires more than theoretical knowledge. Students need opportunities to research emerging threats, understand how digital systems are attacked and practise securing them. When connectivity is unreliable or expensive, those opportunities can become harder to access.
For students already working towards careers in the field, the cost of internet access can also compete with other educational expenses.
Ellen Mavuka, a final-year student at Mzuzu University, said the routers would help students save money on internet bundles and conduct more research.
She attributed her team’s success in the competition partly to teamwork, explaining that members divided tasks into smaller sections and shared what they learned during discussions.
Their experience illustrates the importance of collaboration in cybersecurity training. However, developing such skills also requires sustained access to the resources students need to continue learning beyond organised competitions.
The issue matters because Malawi’s growing use of digital services creates a corresponding need to protect people and institutions from online threats. Internet access has opened opportunities in communication, education and commerce, but it has also created avenues for scams, cybercrime and attacks on digital systems.
MACRA Director General Mayamiko Nkoloma said the authority organised the cybersecurity drill and conference to build the capacity of students and professionals from different sectors to respond to cyber threats.
The programme brought together students and experts from sectors including finance and utilities, with the aim of strengthening their ability to protect systems and respond when attacks occur.
Nkoloma said approximately 15 universities applied to participate in the competition, with five shortlisted. The best three universities were recognised, while Airtel provided routers to the winning students.
He described collaboration with private companies and other institutions as essential because MACRA cannot tackle cybersecurity threats alone.
For Airtel Malawi, the donation was intended to help young people access the knowledge and tools needed to develop their technological skills.
Steve Kapoloma, Airtel Malawi’s head of corporate communication and corporate social responsibility, said the company believed the country’s future depended partly on how knowledgeable and skilled its young people became in solving problems and creating opportunities through technology.
He said Airtel wanted to empower students by providing connectivity and tools to support their learning in technology and cybersecurity.
The contribution offers the recipients a practical resource, particularly given the difficulties Kanyenda and Mavuka described. Yet the longer-term question is whether such support can be sustained and extended to other students facing similar barriers.
A year’s internet subscription can create room for more research and practice, but it does not establish what happens when the subscription expires. Nor does a router alone resolve poor network coverage in areas where connectivity remains unreliable.
Universities, telecommunications companies and public institutions therefore have a role to consider beyond rewarding competition winners: how to make the resources required for digital learning accessible to more young people.
The immediate beneficiaries may gain an advantage from the routers, but Malawi’s need for cybersecurity expertise extends beyond a handful of students. Building that expertise requires continued training, practical experience and access to the tools that allow students to apply what they learn.
For Kanyenda, the donation addresses a difficulty she already faces. Whether that opportunity translates into stronger cybersecurity skills will depend on how she uses the access available to her and what further opportunities she receives.
As Malawi continues to expand its digital activities, the country’s ability to defend itself online will depend not only on recognising talented young people, but also on creating conditions in which they can develop their skills.
The question, then, is not simply whether students can win routers. It is whether Malawi can ensure that the next generation of cyber defenders has the connectivity and practical opportunities needed to protect its digital future.
