Apiwe’s story on… the gift of bridging educational divides

Apiwe’s arrival into the world unmistakably marked the beginning of her remarkable journey. Despite her parents securing the only car owner in the village to rush them to the hospital for her birth, they didn’t quite make it, and she was born en route. As told by her father, she came into the world full of joy and her name, which aptly means ‘you have been gifted’ in Xhosa, carried a powerful legacy to live up to.

Growing up, Apiwe soon understood that the path to leaving her mark on the world would be challenging. She recognised there were clear differences to how boys and girls were considered in society.  As the second child among five, she and her older sister assumed the rare responsibility of managing their father’s cattle, a duty generally assigned to her male counterparts in the community. She remembers various remarks, including one from a man who told her father how unlucky he was to have so many daughters with no one to carry on the family legacy.  A moment that lingered with Apiwe for years, she vowed to change the narrative by boldly claiming her place in spaces traditionally deemed off-limits to her.

"It's easy for me to enter unfamiliar spaces because I'm always open to learning. Both my parents were educators and I was taught that true success comes not just from  qualifications, but from a lifelong commitment to learning from both books and the people around you.”

Supporting this outlook, she looked to her family doctor, a woman who was a real-life example of breaking barriers in a male-dominated field. With every visit, Apiwe left deeply inspired and reminded by what is possible.  On the ground, reality was harsh. Her school lacked a mathematics and science teacher for years, leaving Apiwe to navigate these subjects on her own. She managed to pass, but the absence of proper instruction had put her at a disadvantage, ultimately preventing her from achieving the high grades required to apply for a medical degree.  When her application was declined, she was left with what felt like a devastating setback.

"It felt like no matter what effort had been put in, the world didn't really care about the input - all that mattered in the end was the output. I’d overhear high school students in my community echoing my experience and I realised I wasn't alone.”

Unable to even secure a pre-med course to bridge the gap, Apiwe enrolled in a foundation program at the University of Fort Hare, designed to provide a solid academic base for students who do not meet the direct entry requirements for a specific degree. In a twist of fate, this experience sparked a hidden passion for one of the subjects in the curriculum: Computer Science. Apiwe followed her new calling and went on to graduate Cum Laude with a BSc in Computer Science and Biochemistry. 

This experience left her with a powerful conviction that someone needed to reveal the truth - that input is just as important as output - and her own experience was proof of this. Therein lay her calling and what would later become Enlighten: an AI-powered EduTech Platform for students and teachers to strengthen the STEM pipeline in Africa.

“What are the chances the best teachers in maths and science are going to come to the rural communities? The reality is no one is coming to save us.  I crafted a plan in my head and entered the workplace with a clear focus: to acquire the skills needed to one day bring about that change myself.”

Recognizing the need for hands-on experience to realize her vision, Apiwe dedicated several years to the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO). There, she had the unique opportunity to be part of the team that built the MeerKAT Radio Telescope. Working on such a large-scale project from inception to completion provided invaluable real-world exposure in STEM. During this time, she also tapped into her entrepreneurial spirit through an internal program, where she developed the first prototype of Enlighten before leaving her position to pursue her dream full-time.

With firsthand experience of the very problem Enlighten seeks to solve, Apiwe built the business from the ground up, remaining closely connected to both the core issue and the people it was built to serve. This resulted in a hybrid model that combines an AI powered edtech platform with offline physical digital hubs, meeting students where they are and expanding access to learning, with the additional support of teacher and community engagement initiatives.

“The real game changer has been in the digital revolution we have been able to bring to rural communities. Enlighten has become an edtech platform that serves to end the digital divide within Africa.”

Courageous, resilient, and a visionary who finds solutions amid chaos, Apiwe is a leader who is deeply people-centric at her core. Her journey has given her a newfound appreciation for the power of asking for help - an important skill she has cultivated along the way. For Apiwe, closing the gaps in education involves embracing the idea that success can be achieved through many different paths, inspiring her passion for collaboration and reinforcing her belief that everyone has a valuable role to play in creating meaningful, collective impact.

Her vision is to bridge the gap between potential and opportunity by delivering personalized learning experiences. Apiwe envisions a future where technology and digitization are accessible not just to an elite few, but to everyone. In a continent urgently calling for the closure of vast educational divides, Apiwe (embodying the spirit of her name) is dedicated to gifting the next generation with knowledge, opportunity, and hope, transforming educational challenges into pathways for lasting change.

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