In a rapidly advancing world of technology, Mary Chokani Mphonda is a trailblazer.
She is building education foundations through Innovation and Technology (Befit) digital education specialist programme.
=Mary is empowering young learners and inspiring women and girls across Malawi to pursue careers in technology.
Her work hasn’t gone unnoticed. In 2018, she was awarded a fellowship to the Learning and Performance Institute in the UK.
And in January this year, she was named one of 40 women globally selected for the 2025 EdSafe AI Alliance Women in Artificial Intelligence Fellowship.
This is an initiative focused on fostering the safe and equitable use of AI in education.
“The fellowship brings together women technologists and educational leaders to reimagine education systems enabled by AI,” she explained.
The Befit programme, led by the Government of Malawi, aims to improve literacy and numeracy skills for learners in Standards One to Four in 6 200 public primary schools using tablet-enabled learning.
Mary plays a pivotal role in managing digital tools that are transforming the classroom experience.
“My passion for educational technology is driven by its potential to make learning more accessible and personalised,” she says.
She believes technology breaks down barriers such as distance and limited resources making education more inclusive.
Mary’s journey into tech was unconventional.
She initially dreamed about becoming a database administrator, but discovered instructional design which combines technology with education.
After earning a master’s degree in instructional design, she worked at the University of South Alabama Online Learning Lab and Strayer Education Inc, managing instructional design teams.
Befit is transforming classrooms in Malawi, improving academic outcomes and promoting gender equality in education.
“Malawi is among countries with high learning poverty where 87 percent of children aged 10 cannot read.
“The Befit programme, which reaches 3.8 million learners, seeks to address this,” she said.
Mary describes two types of days in her role. In the office, she reviews emails, coordinates tablet configurations and prepares for teacher training.
In the field, she visits schools, meets with educators and monitors the deployment of technology.
The tablets used in Befit do not rely on internet connectivity, making education more accessible in rural areas.
“The tablets enable interactive lessons fostering confidence, especially for girls who are often shy to speak in classrooms,” Mary explained.
Befit has introduced solar power systems in schools to ensure reliable electricity for charging tablets.
This infrastructure supports consistent study hours, attendance and academic performance particularly for girls.
The programme has also overcome barriers such as the lack of access to technology and cultural norms.
“By bringing tablets directly to schools, Befit ensures equal access for both girls and boys,” Mary said.
Community sensitization sessions are helping change perceptions and encourage girls’ education.
Mary said Befit’s unique aspect is its female teacher avatar, ‘Alefa,’ who guides learners, creating a bias-free environment.
She says the software encourages both genders to explore non-traditional roles such as girls in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.
Mary cited a Standard Three learner at Takumana Primary School in Lilongwe who struggled with reading, but improved dramatically after using the tablets.
“She began reading the Bible for her mother and even taught her how to read,” she added.
This story highlights how technology can empower individuals and communities.
“It is inspiring to witness how technology not only transformed her life, but also impacted her family. This is what digital empowerment is all about; helping girls become leaders in their own communities,” she said.
But for Mary, her work is also about shifting mindsets.
“If we want lasting change in girls’ education, we must challenge stereotypes and societal expectations that limit their potential. Girls need to know they belong in tech,” said the teacher.
Teachers are trained to facilitate high-quality tablet-based sessions.
Local communities ensure that learners attend school and help safeguard the learning equipment.
“By collaborating with the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education as well as partners from the public, private and civil society sectors, the programme has leveraged resources aimed at improving girls’ education across districts,” she said.
Mary also acknowledged the crucial role played by mother groups, female teachers and school leaders, whose active engagement has created a supportive learning environment for girls.
She said: “These collaborations have broadened Befit’s reach and strengthened the framework for advancing gender equity in education, proving that collective effort can lead to transformative change.”
To track the impact of their work, especially in promoting gender equality, Mary said the programme uses multiple feedback mechanisms.
She said school leadership and community members monitor improvements in learners’ literacy and numeracy while the ministry’s quality assurance officers conduct regular visits and speak with learners.
Like many women in leadership, Mary has faced challenges.
“I’ve had male colleagues who crush my ideas. But I overcame them by constantly learning and striving for excellence, how to speak up and ensure my voice is heard.
“If you are looking for a fulfilling career with endless possibilities, consider education technology.
“There are many paths; instructional designer, eLearning specialist, educational software developer, learning technologist, data analyst—the list goes on,” she said.
Mary also founded Skilled Women Artisans in Malawi (Swam), an initiative she established in February 2022 to uplift and empower young women in male-dominated trades.
Her journey began while working on a construction project where she noticed a lack of project management and soft skills among artisans.
“These women struggled to find job attachments or formal employment, receiving little to no pay, lacked proper tools, protective gear, faced sexual harassment and discrimination.
“Their experiences deeply moved me and I was passionate about advocating for entrepreneurship, continuous learning and women empowerment,” she said.
In response she officially launched Swam’s flagship program, Amisili Paulendo, in April 2022.
Swam has grown into a national network, supporting women artisans across Malawi from Chitipa to Nsanje.
Mary was born at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre and comes from Zololo Village, Traditional Authority Machinjiri in Chirimba, Blantyre.
She grew up in Malawi where she attended her secomdary school education after which she joined her mother Nellie Chokani-Namame in Gaborone, Botswana.
There, she earned a diploma in software engineering before relocating to the UK in 2000 for a one-year work holiday.
She moved to the United States where she pursued further studies earning a bachelor of science in computer and information sciences with a minor in business) and a master of science in instructional design and development from the University of South Alabama.
After completing her master’s in 2008 she began working with Strayer Education an instructional design, later becoming instructional design manager.
In 2013, she became a certified project management professional and she earned recognition as a certified performance consultant in 2018.
“I want every girl to know that her potential is limitless. With the right tools and the right support, there’s nothing she can’t achieve,” she concluded.
