As part of the third edition of the Women and girls in cyber conference MwCERT hosted a Capture the flag competition (CTF). A CTF is a cybersecurity competition where participants solve challenges to find “flags,” which are pieces of information or code. The challenge was organized to empower and equip the young girls with technical expertise.
Ten outstanding girls were recognised as winners in the Capture the Flag (CTF) competition held during the 2025 Women and Girls in Cyber Conference in Lilongwe. The competition, which attracted 72 participants, was one of the key highlights of the three-day event hosted by MACRA.
The top three performers stood out for their skill, creativity, and problem-solving ability, with Uchindame Kachale securing first position. As part of her award, she was offered a prestigious internship at MACRA to further develop her skills in cybersecurity. The other top two winners also received recognition for their performance in the tightly contested challenge.
Airtel Malawi, one of the event sponsors, awarded MiFi devices to all ten winners, enhancing their access to digital tools and opportunities. All winners were presented with certificates during the official closing ceremony of the conference.The certificates were handed out by Thokozani Chimbe, MACRA’s Director of Legal Services and Chairperson of the conference, alongside Ella Hamwaka, an Incident Responce Officer at MwCERT and also the Vice Chairperson. The two recognised the girls for their zeal and dedication to cybersecurity and encouraged them to continue breaking barriers in the tech space.
The Women and Girls in Cyber Conference is an annual platform dedicated to empowering young women and girls to take leading roles in cybersecurity, through mentorship, training and networking. This year’s event ran from 28th–30th July, 2025 under the theme “She Secures: Building a Stronger and Resilient Cyber Ecosystem in Malawi.” MWCERT extends its gratitude to all sponsors and partners who made the a CTF competition a success, such as CTFROOM, and Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST)
PICTORIAL: Moments from the award ceremony, where winners received their prizes and certificates from the conference leadership team.
