Idia Fellowship: Co-Designing AI with Women for Better Livelihoods
- Omran Aburayya
- Oct 6
- 4 min read
If you are a woman researcher, technologist, or policy enthusiast in Africa who cares about maternal health, women’s entrepreneurship, or socio-economic growth, applications are now open for the Idia Fellowship. This is a 12-month programme designed to empower African women scholars to lead in AI research, design, policy, and innovation—making sure AI tools are relevant, inclusive, and grounded in real lived experiences. Whether you are at Master’s level up to Postdoctoral, or work in software development, health, or policy, this Fellowship offers a chance to influence how AI shapes lives for women entrepreneurs and mothers, especially in underserved communities. Here's everything you need to know.
🎓 Fellowship Summary
Location: Africa (hosted by Qubit Hub / Qubit Institute) — the fellowship focuses on African women; local (within Africa) implementation.
Organizer: Qubit Hub (in collaboration with relevant academic, tech, health and policy partners)
Programme Level: Fellowship programme (not strictly a degree)—open to applicants from Master’s, PhD level, Postdoctoral, as well as those with technical, health, policy backgrounds in software development, etc.
Target Group: Women in Africa at various career stages (Master’s students/graduates, PhD students, postdocs, health professionals, policy analysts, software developers) with interest in AI, health, business, livelihoods.
Fields of Focus:
Artificial Intelligence & tech innovation
Maternal health & health informatics
Women entrepreneurship / business tools
Policy & gender policy related to AI
UX/UI / software/human-centred design, specifically tools/apps for women/mothers in business and maternal health contexts
Value & Coverage: Support including research funding (for fieldwork, prototyping, dissemination), mentorship, training, publication support, access to network of experts. Exact stipend / monetary amount not publicly detailed in the source material.
Duration: 12 months.
Application Deadline: 1 November 2025
🧭 Fellowship Overview
The Idia Fellowship is structured in two interlinked phases over 12 months:
Phase I – Capacity Building
Equipping a cohort (20 women) with skills in using maternal health and business apps on smartphones.
Deep research into usability, accessibility, affordability, and cultural fit of AI-powered tools.
Uncover barriers and opportunities women face in adopting and using such technology.
Phase II – Application & Community Impact
Co-creation workshops involving women, developers, and experts.
Prototyping of practical solutions like offline health chatbots, business dashboards, etc.
Producing design guidelines, policy briefs, and recommendations for stakeholders.
📆 Timeline / Key Milestones:
Month 1: Program launch, orientation, AI training, mentor matching, research planning.
Months 2-3: Field research—usability, access, culture, obstacles.
Months 4-5: Co-creation / design, prototyping, drafting policy / design briefs.
Month 6: Public showcase of findings, prototypes, engagement with stakeholders.
Months 7-12: Implementation of prototypes, further research, ongoing mentorship, dissemination of results.
🎁 Fellowship Benefits
Training & Mentorship: AI literacy, human-centred design, research methods, innovation skills. Mentors matched to fellows.
Research Funding: Support for fieldwork, prototyping, and dissemination of findings.
Publication Support: Producing open-access case studies, policy briefs, reports.
Global / Regional Network: Access to experts in AI, developers, policy makers; opportunities for collaboration and exposure.
Impact-Driven Work: Not just research, but tangible prototypes, actionable policy recommendations, and community engagements to ensure real change.
📚 Fellowship Tracks & Entry Requirements
The Idia Fellowship offers multiple tracks to accommodate women at different career stages and areas of expertise. Each track is designed to support specific contributions to research, design, development, or policy within the AI and women’s livelihoods space.
Postdoctoral Track (1 position)
Open to women who have completed a PhD in Computer Science, Information Systems, Health Informatics, Strategy, or related disciplines.
Requires a strong research and publication record.
Fellows are expected to lead advanced studies, mentor others, and produce publishable research outputs.
PhD Track (2 positions)
For women currently enrolled in or accepted to a PhD programme.
Applicants should have research interests in AI, innovation, gender studies, or women’s livelihoods.
Should demonstrate potential to conduct independent, policy-relevant research.
Master’s Track (2 positions)
Open to Master’s-level students or recent graduates in relevant fields.
Must possess strong research, writing, and analytical skills.
Ideal for those aspiring to transition into AI, data innovation, or development-focused research.
Software Development Track (2 positions)
For applicants with experience in software engineering, UX/UI design, or mobile app development.
Interest in human-centred design and inclusive technology creation is essential.
Fellows will contribute to developing and prototyping tools such as AI-powered chatbots and business dashboards.
Health Track (2 positions)
Designed for professionals or researchers with a background in maternal health, public health, or health informatics.
Applicants should have a clear interest in integrating AI for improved health outcomes and maternal well-being.
Experience in community health projects or digital health systems is an advantage.
Policy Track (1 position)
Targeted at women with experience or strong interest in tech policy, gender policy, or public policy research.
Applicants should be able to analyze regulatory landscapes, write policy briefs, and contribute to advocacy efforts.
Ideal for those keen on influencing AI ethics, governance, and inclusive policy design.
✅ Other general criteria / good to have:
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Research or project proposal aligned with the fellowship’s goals (women’s livelihoods, maternal health, inclusive AI).
Demonstrated capacity to deliver in the selected track.
Likely to be resident in or connected to African context or able to carry out fieldwork in relevant communities.
📝 Application Procedure
Application Components include:
Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Research interest / statement aligned with Fellowship themes (or project idea)
Answering other prompts
Selection is based on: clarity of proposal, alignment with fellowship goals (impact on women’s livelihoods, maternal health, AI inclusion), evidence of capacity, potential impact, quality of writing / research plan.
ℹ️ Extra Useful Information
If you are in a technical track (Software Development or Health), include in your application past experiences with tech tools, apps, UX/UI, or health tech. For policy tracks, any relevant policy writing, analysis, or advocacy will help.
Because the fellowship includes a prototype and policy brief deliverable, proposals that show feasibility and potential adoption / scalability will likely be competitive.
Check carefully if travel, offline work (for areas with little connectivity), or field visits are possible for you, as this work involves community／field research in many cases (especially in Phase I). Plan for how to overcome accessibility, cost, or digital resource constraints.
