Innovation is reshaping how institutions respond to modern challenges particularly in healthcare where technology can mean the difference between safety and harm.
For Charity Jonasi, a biomedical engineering student, that promise began with a belief: that education can empower one girl to change lives.
At the Harare Institute of Public Health (HIPH) she is now turning that belief into a practical solution aimed at improving safety in medical facilities.
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Growing up, Charity saw first-hand how weaknesses in healthcare systems could have serious consequences.
Those experiences shaped her decision to pursue biomedical engineering, a field that combines technical expertise with direct benefits for patients and health workers.
In many small and under-resourced health centres, X-ray rooms operate without effective safety interlock systems often because equipment is too expensive or technical support is limited.
This means machines can be switched on while doors are open or when unauthorised people are inside exposing staff and patients to harmful radiation.
"Such exposure poses serious health risks and falls short of international radiation safety standards," Charity said.
Her project focuses on developing a low-cost, automated X-ray interlock system that ensures radiation is released only when safety conditions are met.
The aim, she explains is to reduce the risk of genetic damage in pregnant women, lower the likelihood of radiation-related cancers such as leukaemia and prevent other radiation-induced illnesses.
"Engineering is not just about solving problems," she said. "It is about serving people."
With mentorship and hands-on training at HIPH, Charity was able to develop her idea into a working concept with clear public health value.
She later shared the project, titled Safety from Radiation Exposure on the Health Shenanigans Podcast where she called for stronger collaboration across the health sector to support sustainable innovation.
As a woman in a male-dominated technical field, Charity says she has faced moments of being underestimated.
A lack of role models and subtle bias added to the challenge but she chose to respond by strengthening her skills and asserting her place in innovation spaces.
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She credits the supportive learning environment at HIPH for helping her turn those challenges into confidence.
Her gender, she says has become a strength rather than a barrier.
Today, self-empowerment shapes Charity's outlook.
She believes that when girls invest in education, confidence and courage they not only transform their own futures but help open doors for others.
Her journey highlights what can be achieved when young women are supported to innovate in fields critical to national development.
