A surgeon's dream no longer: Michelle's story of finding software development

In her blog series, Alice, our Lead Africa, tells us all things Code Blossom from her point of view:

From exciting events happening in our community, to personal stories from her or our students. Stay tuned for this inspiring blog series - you won’t want to miss it!

This time, read the touching story of Michelle, one of our students from Malawi, recounted by our talented Blogger-in-Chief, Alice.

Where it all started

When I walked into my first computer science class at Chancellor College (University of Malawi) all those years ago, it was the most courageous thing I’d ever done in my life up to that point. Never would I have imagined that one day I would be here, proudly sharing the story of a fellow Malawian woman, walking a similar path to mine. Having walked the halls of the public Malawian University, I always felt the ever-present sting of traditional attitudes and mindsets towards women in education. So, it is an honor, today, to share Michelle’s story as she is just getting started in her journey and thus represents a new generation of Malawian women defying stereotypes and old mindsets.
On 30 September 2024, we onboarded twenty students from Malawi into the Code Blossom full-stack development program. Michelle was one of those participants onboarded; at the time, she was a third-year student at the Malawi University of Applied Science (MUBAS). I already knew Michelle at that point, having met her on a previous project I worked on for a fellowship.

Growing up in a house in which her parents instilled in her the power and importance of education, Michelle had always dreamed of becoming a surgeon. But then one day, Michelle’s father mentioned in passing the upcoming dominance of IT professionals in the job market. This stirred something in Michelle, who at the time was in high school but also already an avid user of the desktop machine at home.

When the time came to choose a program for university, she chose to go with Information Systems at MUBAS. And so it was, during her first year, that she had her first encounter with programming, and it was with C++, no less. C++ is a pretty difficult programming language to master; however, with Michelle pushed through with determination. In her second year, she was introduced to Python, which was more palatable for her. Suddenly, programming no longer seemed like an insurmountable mountain to climb. However, she still felt she lacked confidence in her programming skills and often felt unsure during conversations with peers.

One day, whilst browsing through a WhatsApp group, she came across an announcement of the Code Blossom full-stack development program. Seeing the opportunity as a way to gain confidence in her skills and extend her knowledge, she applied and got accepted into the program.

Fast forward to today, as she has just completed her final project, officially becoming a graduate of Code Blossom, she reflects on her journey here and shares some of her wins.

At the top was the inspiring imagery of seeing founders Marion and Nadia not only lead the organization but also be successful women in tech. She mentioned the impact of Code Blossom mentor hours sessions - a bi-weekly meeting that brings participants together to solve coding exercises. The affirming and learning nature of the sessions really inspired her and made her feel safe to tackle problems without the fear of condemnation, something she knew all too well from her university classes. And last but not least, the continual guidance and mentorship throughout her journey here has not only helped grow her technical skills but also her confidence as an individual.

As I finish this blog, I feel overwhelmed with pride and gratitude at the power of meeting opportunity with desire, discipline, and commitment.

Michelle has shown that throughout her time here, and I am beyond proud of her.

And I am also proud of the work that Code Blossom as an organization, and as a community, continues to do for many more Michelles to come.
As we continue to break stereotypes and find our place in tech spaces, unapologetically.