Walking into Huawei’s Johannesburg campus for the 2026 Women in Tech Digital Skills Development Programme, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. It was my first time attending an event of this kind, and I arrived with curiosity and excitement and a desire to learn.
What I experienced was so much more.
Huawei Women in Tech sessions
Under the theme HERabytes: Small Business, Big Intelligence, Huawei brought together women from different professions and business backgrounds to explore how AI and digital technologies can help women build stronger businesses.
A room full of powerful women
One of the biggest highlights for me was meeting women who are already making their mark in business and technology.
I had the opportunity to speak to different women, hear about their experiences and see the passion they have for what they do. What stood out to me was their confidence and determination to see other women succeed.
There was a strong sense of women supporting women.
It reminded me that success does not always happen overnight. Behind every successful woman is often years of learning, hard work, mistakes, resilience and the courage to keep going.
Being surrounded by women who were building businesses and leading teams while also developing themselves professionally was so inspiring. It made me think about my own career journey and the skills I want to continue developing.
Learning about AI as a business tool
Another important part of the programme was learning about artificial intelligence and digital technologies.
The 2026 programme included exposure to areas such as 5G-A, cloud computing and artificial intelligence, with practical sessions focused on applying technology to business.
AI can sometimes feel like something that belongs only to large technology companies or people with technical backgrounds but the programme showed me how these technologies can be applied to everyday business challenges.
The focus was on understanding how women can actually use technology to work smarter and create new opportunities.
This was particularly meaningful to me because I am also growing in the technology and media space. I left the event thinking differently about the digital skills I need to develop and how I can use AI in my own professional journey.
ALSO READ: Huawei Women in Tech 2026 trains women to build with AI
Seeing Huawei beyond the products
One of my favourite parts of the experience was the Innovation Centre tour since I got to see Huawei beyond the phones and other consumer technology many of us already know.
We were introduced to the broader technology ecosystem Huawei is involved in, including digital infrastructure, cloud and enterprise technologies. It helped me understand just how much technology sits behind the universities and digital platforms we rely on.
For me, this was one of the moments when technology became much more real because it was no longer simply about a smartphone or a television, but about understanding the systems that can support organisations and businesses.
Networking with extraordinary people
The event also gave me an opportunity to network with people I would not normally meet in my everyday environment.
I was able to meet Huawei executives and professionals, and have conversation with people from different areas of the technology and business ecosystem.
Christina Naidoo spoke about the importance of women developing digital capabilities and using technology to strengthen their careers and businesses.
For someone attending this type of event for the first time, those conversations were valuable. I learned that networking is not about exchanging contact details but instead about asking questions and learning from people’s experiences. And off, then also being open to opportunities.
My biggest takeaway from Huawei WIT
If I had to describe my experience in one word, it would be inspiring.
From the welcoming atmosphere and great food to the conversation and the tour, the entire experience gave me something to take home.
But the biggest lesson was that technology is about people, and not just about machines and software like we might assume. Because the technology is giving people knowledge and confidence to solve problems.
The programme also showed me the importance of making space for women in the tech industry, as leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators and decision-makers.
As I continue my own journey in media and technology, I left Huawei with more questions, more knowledge and most importantly, more motivation to keep learning.
The future of technology is growing quickly. And after experiencing Huawei Women in Tech, I believe women should be part of building it.
NOW READ: Code4Mzansi finals: Young SA developers are building the future
