Get To Know Nthanda Manduwi
By Harold Kapindu
Nthanda Manduwi is a Malawian entrepreneur, digital transformation advocate, and community builder driven by the mission to empower Africa’s youth through innovation and technology.
Her work intersects education, entrepreneurship, and technology, focusing on creating opportunities that bridge the gap between local talent and global markets.
As the founder of Ntha Foundation, Kwathu Kollective, and Bien Corporation Africa, she has led initiatives that have trained over 10,000 young people, fostering digital literacy and workforce development across Africa.
“I am passionate about leveraging technology to drive sustainable growth and ensuring that African youth have the tools they need to thrive in the global digital economy.
“I believe in Africa that can thrive, and trust that Africa’s youth are the driving force to achieve that transformation,” she explained.
She listed the following;
- How My Career Got Started
Genesis of Kwathu Kollective – Rooted in Community
In Malawi’s evolving yet challenging economic landscape, I realized that fostering innovation and creating opportunities required more than just ambition – it demanded collective action. This realization led to the founding of Kwathu Kollective – “Kwathu,” meaning “home” in Chichewa.
Kwathu Kollective emerged as a non-profit initiative focused on empowering youth, building digital skills, and connecting local talent to global markets.
“I started with limited resources but immense conviction that real change begins at the grassroots. Recognizing the growing digital divide in Malawi and across Africa, I launched Digital Skills for Africa (DSA) as a flagship program under Kwathu Kollective. DSA has since trained over 10,000 youth across 20 African countries, equipping them with the skills needed to enter the tech industry. My journey began not with significant capital but with a commitment to empower the next generation of African innovators by creating inclusive spaces for learning, growth, and collaboration,” she explained.
The Evolution of Ntha Foundation
Ntha Foundation, which was initially an extension of her personal blog to document her journey and insights, gradually transitioned into a larger platform aimed at fostering education, innovation, and entrepreneurship across Africa.
The foundation focuses on creating opportunities for university students and graduates by offering mentorship, career guidance, and capacity-building programs.
As the foundation grew, she realized that to achieve sustainable impact, we needed to create structures that could generate revenue while continuing to drive community growth.
This shift led to the creation of Kwathu Kollective as a dedicated hub for innovation and Bien Corporation Africa as the commercial arm that leverages the skills and workforce built through Ntha Foundation initiatives.
The transition allowed for a clearer distinction between non-profit and for-profit efforts, ensuring that the foundation’s work could scale sustainably without over-reliance on donor funding. This dual structure has enabled greater flexibility, allowing us to pivot quickly and adapt to the changing needs of Africa’s digital landscape.
Biggest Highlights of Ntha Career/Company
She was hired by Microsoft Xbox for her MBA Summer Internship, where she hope to learn as much as possible about the gaming industry, and pivot BCA and KK.
10,000+ youth trained through the Digital Skills for Africa (DSA) initiative, addressing the skills gap in the tech sector.
Built a network of 200+ experienced tech professionals ready to scale and contribute to large-scale digital transformation projects across Africa.
Established Bien Africa, a for-profit entity that channels the skills and workforce developed through Kwathu Kollective into market-ready solutions.
Recognized as one of the Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) during the United Nations General Assembly.
Received the Best Youth Empowerment Award at the African Achievement Awards.
Collaborated with governments, NGOs, and international tech firms, expanding digital training to rural communities, with a focus on women and marginalized groups.
Most Interesting Fact About Ntha And Her Career
Kwathu Kollective started with a small training cohort (30) in 2020, which was followed by an expansion to 500 in 2021 in a public-private partnership with the Malawi Government and the World Bank, and has now scaled to impact over 10,000 as of 2024, fostering real workforce development. Despite being a non-profit at inception, the initiative now drives economic empowerment by leveraging 200 tech professionals who are building tech-driven solutions across the continent.
To be continued…
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