From code to care: Shyreen’s mission for mothers across Africa

Over the past three weeks, she has ridden a whirlwind of emotions — perhaps unlike any since her birth on May 31 2005. The fear of rejection, failure, despair, ecstasy and excitement. From a protracted passport saga that captured national attention to stardom on a continental stage, with ripples felt across the globe — and now, back in a university examination room in Zomba — Malawi’s sole Miss Geek Africa 2025 finalist Shyreen Kalulu’s story is a powerful testament to resilience, hard work and determination. FATSANI GUNYA now chronicles it:

At only 20 and perhaps still years away from motherhood, it is remarkable that Shyreen chooses to devote her time at University of Malawi (Unima) to tackling issues affecting women. The audacity of naming her award-winning tech project Automated Maternal Intelligence and Notification Assistant (Amina) — a term rooted in feminist ideals — speaks volumes about the thoughtful young woman she is becoming. From a campus innovator to a continental trailblazer, Shyreen stands poised before a world ready to be inspired, influenced and impacted by her ideas. She is a girl in tech and the rest is history.

“My journey has been full of growth and discovery. Being at Unima has challenged me to think beyond the classroom and pushed me to create technological ideas to solve real problems faced by communities,” begins Shyreen, who is a fourth-year Bachelor of Science in Information Systems student, majoring in Computer Science.

This is quite an achievement for someone who once dreamt of wearing a white coat, not writing code.

Initially, Shyreen had her eyes set on the medical field.

“When I look back, I think it was because everyone wanted to study medicine after secondary school,” she reflects. “It was a kind of indirect peer pressure. Bachelor of Science opened up many choices. At first, I wanted to major in Chemistry so I could pursue Pharmacy. But along the way, I decided to take a different path. I wanted to do something most boys were doing, but where there were only a few girls. That’s when I chose Information Systems.”

She adds that continuing students and lecturers did a great job of orienting and showing them what Information Systems is really about.

That’s when Shyreen began to love it; the more she learned, the more her passion for tech grew naturally.

She was inspired even more that this programme isn’t only about app or mobile development — it’s also about management, entrepreneurship, building confidence and creating ideas.

And from that point, it was clear Shyreen was here to stay in the tech world — even if the medic in her lingered somewhere in the background.

Amina is an AI-powered health assistant designed to support pregnant and postpartum women.

And as Shyreen takes me through her innovation, it is easy to see what sets it apart from the few similar apps I have come across myself.

Amina works on basic phones and doesn’t require an internet connection, making it accessible to the vast majority of women in rural areas — a design perfectly suited to the realities of many Malawian mothers.

It tackles one of Africa’s most persistent challenges; maternal mortality and complications during and after childbirth.

Its significance cannot be overstated. Across the continent and in Malawi especially, many women continue to die from preventable conditions simply because they fail to recognise warning signs early enough or lack access to reliable information.

“My project bridges this gap by providing timely health advice and reminders through SMS, USSD and voice calls,” Shyreen explains. “It works like a personal health assistant that runs on a basic phone.”

Such innovation is refreshing in a country where health extension work has become increasingly thin on the ground.

In many communities, Health Surveillance Assistants are either too few, undertrained, or too demotivated to make a real difference — leaving expectant mothers dangerously underserved.

Encouragingly, available data shows a positive trend: more mothers are being saved as access to modern facilities, equipment, innovative solutions and timely information continues to improve.

On her part, Shyreen patiently explains how Amina steps in to fill that gap — building on the many concerted efforts that came before her and no doubt inspiring those that will follow.

“I would say it’s simple. A woman registers by dialling a USSD code and Amina checks in with her through SMS or voice calls,” she says.

“For instance, it might ask if she feels dizzy or is experiencing bleeding, then offer advice or connect her to a nurse if needed. It also reminds her about delivery preparations and can alert her emergency contacts if something seems wrong.”

With her entry submitted to the local organisers of SMART Africa, in partnership with the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority young Shyreen had booked herself a ticket to the continental finals after emerging the best among her peers in the country.

There was just one problem, though: she didn’t have a passport to travel to Kigali, Rwanda, host of this year’s finals.

Local organisers did everything in their power — acknowledging her submission, verifying her eligibility and officially declaring her a national champion after a series of pitching sessions across the country.

“The excitement started fading as it became clear it might not happen because of the passport delay,” Shyreen recalls.

“That feeling of failure, after all the hard work I’d put in and being that close, nearly broke me. Fortunately, God intervened and Kigali came calling. Before I knew it, I was on a plane.”

The situation had sparked a buzz on social media, with many feeling the nation could face embarrassment if she failed to attend the finals.

And from the look of things, this is just the beginning. Shyreen is expected to fly out again soon to Conakry, Guinea, where the continental organisers confirmed all 11 contestants performed remarkably, each having done enough to contend for the ultimate prize.

“Man, this is just too much to comprehend. Things are happening so fast, it’s hard for us to grasp as a family,” says Gift Kalulu, Shyreen’s father.

“I have come to realise that God truly works in mysterious ways. I now stand in awe of His love and sufficient grace. That my daughter would gain national recognition was unimaginable, but above that, that she would create something this impactful for humanity is something I will always personally proud of, and thank the Lord for.”

Speaking earlier with #NationOnline from her hotel room in Kigali ahead of the grand finals, it was clear that the passport saga had left her a bit shaken.

“The girls in tech I’ve met here truly know their stuff,” Shyreen said. “But I keep reminding myself that I’m just as capable, otherwise, I wouldn’t be here. My colleague from Zambia couldn’t make it due to exams, so that’s one less competitor, but I’ll still give it my all.”

It was refreshing, therefore, to hear that the pressure to perform, amplified by the passport drama back home, had eased ahead of what could be her biggest night yet.

“The passport saga made me feel like I had to win, or I’d disappoint people. But now I know better. Self-belief is key. Of course, I’ll be disappointed if I don’t win, but reaching this far is already a huge achievement.”

Launched in 2014 under Girls in ICT Rwanda, Miss Geek Africa celebrates young women leveraging technology to tackle community challenges. Shyreen faces competition from Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau, Chad, Ghana, The Gambia, Senegal, Kenya, Benin, Cameroon, and hosts Rwanda.