Going into the programme I had my doubts, but I am grateful that I was chosen to attend this programme. The MIT/AITI programme was a breathtaking experience. It opened my mind to the world of business and start-ups. The technical skills and entrepreneurial skills were really valuable. It also gave me the chance to make connections which are very important when venturing into the world of business. I enjoyed the various guest lectures we received by top class players in their respective industries. It was also great working with a team of aspiring entrepreneurs, I am really buoyant about the future of our country with such great young minds. As an aim of the programme, we had to work on our own start-ups in groups. My team HCTC (HealthCareThatCares) made up of Zandile Keebine, Zinhle Sangweni, Anna Lebitsa, Ludo Mphusu, Ladislous Kumirayi and I took it up to ourselves to solve a serious problem in our country, which is healthcare. We came up with a solution that will help solve the administration problems and help improve patient experience in public hospitals. Our solution was to create an electronic system that will help handle patient records and store their data which will form part of a national patient registry, which will be used by hospitals across the public sector. Given the scope of our problem, it was always going to be a challenge which we were not deterred by. We managed to make some progress on the system we are trying to create. Hopefully come Demo Day 27 July, we will have a fully fledged prototype. In this age of innovation and technology, it is very important to always put your best foot forward and this programme provided me with that platform. I learned how to better market myself and I also learned some useful presentation skills through presenting regularly. My communication skills have been enhanced. I can safely say this programme has changed my life and sort of altered my plans for the next year.
