Alumni Impact: Kim Bwanya
Wadzanayi “Kim” Bwanya, alumna of the 2019 Study of the U.S. Institute on Civic Engagement.
Hello! Makadii! I’m Wadzanayi Kim Bwanya from Zimbabwe, but you can call me Kim.
I was part of the Study of the U.S. Institute for Student Leaders on Civic Engagement (SUSI). I am the founder of Beedesigned Studio , a creative agency that strategically designs and builds web-based products for businesses worldwide. I am also the co-founder of Tea in 60, a virtual mentorship platform for Zimbabwean girls and women in STEM.
My participation in SUSI occurred at a time when I was doing my final year BSc studies in Computer Science. This opportunity came at a very convenient time in my life as I was at a stage where I had to make life-changing decisions regarding the path I wanted to take after graduation. The exchange program exposed me to a lot of things in a short space of time. Of major highlight was the cultural exposure. From the very business-oriented people in Wasington D.C, to the jovial and historically rich environment in New Orleans and finally the laid back culture of Seattle. Professionally, I got to learn about volunteerism, project planning, networking and civic engagement through workshops and mini-projects.
As a person with vested interested in the tech industry I was very happy to be afforded the opportunity to visit Google and Microsoft offices in Seattle among other companies. The visits helped broaden my mind on the capabilities within the field and how technology can be used to effect positive change in the world.
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Pictured: Kim visiting Seattle’s Microsoft Offices and attending an educational gaming conference.
Kim, pictured with her capstone project: “Dzidza Animation Project.”
With regards to effecting positive change, when I participated in SUSI, my capstone project was focused on creating an animation series, ‘Dzidza Animation Series’, to teach grade 2 - 6 girls about STEM. However, with different experiences I came across, that project morphed into something bigger, namely ‘Tea in 60’.
In June 2020 I co-founded Tea in 60 (TI60), a community that seeks to bring about the much needed practical one-on-one conversations between Zimbabwean girls interested in STEM and Zimbabwean women already in the field. In sixty minutes, girls in high school, as well as those that are in or have just finished tertiary education will have an opportunity to discuss anything they want in the career of their choosing with a selected mentor, over a virtual cup of tea.
Aside from the networking and peer support that comes with joining the TI60 community, TI60 also provides a platform for women (and girls) in STEM to start and grow their STEM related businesses. YES! Because we recognize the importance of financial freedom, particularly in their chosen field. We aim to help them walk that much taller, and speak a little louder, confident in their professional abilities and backed by their wallets.
Kim, presenting on opportunities in STEM to high school girls in her home country of Zimbabwe.
The TI60 team is made up of great, talented individuals and the future is looking bright. With the global pandemic currently going on, adaptation of technology in Zimbabwe has been accelerated which makes the need for Tea in 60 even more apparent. We are currently building our platform while concurrently on-boarding mentors with the aim to officially open the platform to mentees in April 2021.
In conclusion, I am a firm believer that technology is a great equalizer, therefore it is the ultimate form of empowerment that can help shape the world we want, and I hope to fully utilise it to help improve communities I
engage with through Tea in 60 and Beedesigned Studio.
Wadzanayi Kim Bwanya is a 2019 alum of the FIUTS SUSI on Civic Engagement. She has BSc Honors Degree in Computer Science from the National University of Science and Technology (NUST), Zimbabwe. She is also the co-founder of Tea in 60 (TI60), a community that seeks to bring about the much needed practical one-on-one conversations between Zimbabwean girls interested in STEM and Zimbabwean women already in the field.
SUSI programs promote a better understanding of the people, institutions, and culture of the United States among international students, teachers, and scholars. Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSIs) are short-term academic programs for groups of undergraduate leaders, educators, and scholars from around the world. Hosted by academic institutions throughout the United States, these 5- to 6-week Institutes include an intensive academic residency and an integrated educational study tour. Extracurricular cultural and community activities help to broaden the participants’ understanding of U.S. society. Learn more about SUSI programs here.
Guest posts on the FIUTS blog represent the experiences and views of individual writers. They do not necessarily reflect the views of FIUTS or any organizations or institutions affiliated with our programs.