Zimbabwe’s Usawa Institute Wins Prestigious Global ICT Award for Empowering Girls

Local grassroots nonprofit organisation, the Usawa Institute has been named one of the winners of the 2025 World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prizes, a prestigious global honour recognising transformative uses of information and communication technologies (ICTs).

The award was presented at the WSIS+20 High-Level Event hosted by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Geneva.

Usawa’s flagship project, Girls Speak Out, triumphed in the “Media” category (Action Line C9) highlighting its impact in empowering adolescent girls and young women through digital skills and media literacy.

“This award is a huge endorsement for our work…To have our model recognised by the International Telecommunication Union is a powerful validation of our core belief: empowering girls with education and ICT is one of the most effective strategies for developing our continent,” said Anoziva Ishe Marindire, Co-Founder and Director of The Usawa Institute.

Founded in 2016 by Marindire, Theresa Takafuma and the late Kelvin Tinashe Mutize, Girls Speak Out began as a grassroots training programme.

It has since evolved into a robust ecosystem supporting young women aged 14–24 in Zimbabwe and Lesotho.

The initiative offers hands-on ICT training and leadership development, aiming to close the digital gender gap.

“This award belongs to the incredible girls in our community who are using the skills they are learning to better their communities,” added Marindire.

The 2025 WSIS Prizes drew over 360 nominations from more than 100 countries. Only 90 were selected as Champions, with 19 emerging as winners—making Usawa’s recognition all the more notable.

Doreen Bogdan-Martin, ITU Secretary-General, noted the broader significance of such projects.

“Twenty years ago, only 1 billion people, just 16% of the world’s population, were online. Today, that number has soared to 68%.”

ICT Minister, Tatenda Mavetera praised the win saying: “This recognition is not merely an accolade. It is a testament to the tireless dedication of Usawa in bridging digital divides and turning the ideals of WSIS into tangible realities for Zimbabwe.”