Finding your place in tech can feel overwhelming especially when the possibilities seem endless. For Mary Nyandia, the journey began with curiosity, exploration, and a desire to build meaningful digital experiences. Her story is a powerful reflection of how the CodeHack Women in Tech Accelerator Program at Pwani Teknowgalz helps young women transform uncertainty into confidence and real-world skills.

Discovering a Path in Tech

Mary is a UI/UX designer with a strong eye for clean, intuitive interfaces and a growing interest in mobile development. Before joining the Accelerator, however, her path wasn’t clearly defined.

“I was exploring different areas of tech, trying to understand what truly excited me,” she recalls.

Rather than feeling discouraged by not having all the answers, Mary embraced experimentation an approach that ultimately led her to the Accelerator program.

A Turning Point: Structure, Mentorship, and Momentum

Joining the CodeHack Women in Tech Accelerator Program marked a major turning point in Mary’s journey. The program provided the structure and mentorship she needed to transform curiosity into direction. Through hands-on learning and guidance, Mary discovered her passion for UI/UX design, which later expanded into building complete digital products. “The program helped me move beyond just visuals and start designing with purpose.”

Learning to Design With Purpose

One of the most impactful lessons Mary gained from the program was understanding that good design goes beyond aesthetics. She learned how to align design decisions with user needs, business goals, and technical realities. A standout experience was working on a mental health app built using Flutter and Firebase Studio. This project challenged her to merge clean UI design with backend logic, an experience that prepared her for real-world product development.

Growing Through Continuous Learning

Beyond the Accelerator, Mary continues to actively invest in her growth. While balancing her academic responsibilities, she is consistently sharpening her skills and expanding her knowledge in tech.Currently, she is deepening her expertise in Flutter, building on her mobile development journey and gaining more confidence in creating functional, user-centered applications. In addition, she recently joined a data literacy program, an experience that is helping her better understand how data informs decision-making, enhances user experiences, and drives impactful digital solutions. This combination of school, hands-on practice, and continuous learning reflects her commitment to becoming a well-rounded tech professional.

Turning Skills Into Opportunities

Since joining the Accelerator, Mary has secured several small design gigs, including creating posters and business cards for local clients. While modest financially, these opportunities have played a huge role in her professional growth.

“They helped me apply my skills in real-world settings, communicate with clients, and deliver work with confidence.”

Most of these gigs came through referrals from friends and family, teaching her valuable lessons about networking, client communication, and meeting deadlines.

Overcoming Uncertainty

Like many aspiring technologists, Mary’s biggest challenge was uncertainty—not knowing where she fit in the tech ecosystem. Through persistence, curiosity, and hands-on learning, she gradually found clarity. The Accelerator program provided the mentorship and support system that helped her turn exploration into focused growth.

Advice to Young Women in Tech

Mary has a powerful message for young women considering a career in tech:“Start with curiosity and explore boldly; you don’t need to have it all figured out. Tech is about solving problems and thinking creatively. Find a supportive community, seek mentorship, and trust that your voice matters.”

Looking Ahead

Over the next few years, Mary envisions herself growing into a well-rounded product builder, blending UI/UX design with mobile development. She is focused on mastering Flutter, strengthening her backend integration skills, and leveraging data-driven insights to build impactful applications that solve real local problems.