Inner-city student’s success story anchors new tech hub launch in Johannesburg

For Alcharne Le Roux, studying cybersecurity at the Maharishi Invincibility Institute marked a turning point in her life.

Today, she works as a junior analyst at Absa, a milestone she said would not have been possible without the programme.

“I am very grateful for the cybersecurity programme, and today I finally got an internship in one of the biggest banks in South Africa,” she said.

Before enrolling at the institute, Le Roux was the sole breadwinner in her household, supporting her family on a limited income while her mother was unemployed.

She started working at 16, where she packed bags at a supermarket.

“I wasn’t like other kids, I couldn’t have what they had, I got new clothes at Christmas,” she explained.

After matric, she went back home and worked as a teacher at a local crèche and then at a restaurant on weekends to generate more income for her family.

In her first year of study at Maharishi Invincibility Institute, her mother passed away after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

This was a tough time, as her mother was the only person she wanted to make proud.

“I questioned everything. I was discouraged because the person I was doing this for was no longer there, but I remembered my promise to take care of my siblings, so I kept going,” Le Roux said.

Above all, Le Roux is thankful to Dr Taddy Blecher and the internship programme. Today, she can take care of her siblings and help with funding their education.

“Maharishi changed my life - it really opened doors for me, and I will always be grateful for it,” she said.

Her journey reflects the kind of impact the institute aims to expand through its latest initiative, the launch of the Maharishi Next Up Institute of Technology (MNIT), an innovation hub in Johannesburg’s inner city.

The MNIT hub, located at 56 Main Street in Johannesburg, was officially unveiled as part of efforts to position the city as a centre for innovation, artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics.

Described as a “moonshot” initiative, the institute aims to equip young people with critical digital and technical skills while also focusing on personal development.

“We will train humans to be more human, more creative, more empathetic, better at solving problems and better at seeing the bigger picture,” said Blecher, CEO and founder of the Maharishi Institute.

He said the programme will focus on developing “whole human beings” through a model of conscious-based education, combining technical training with ethics, emotional intelligence and leadership skills.

The initiative is backed by a range of partners from both the public and private sectors, including David Frankel and Tracey Frankel, who donated the building that houses the new campus.

The institute will offer training in fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, cybersecurity, coding, financial services and insurance, with a strong focus on aligning skills with industry demand.

Academic partnerships are also expected to play a key role. Wits Business School, led by Professor Maurice Radebe, will collaborate with MNIT, with plans to enrol 250 students this year in entrepreneurship programmes.

The government has also thrown its support behind the initiative. Solly Malatsi, Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, said such partnerships are vital to the country’s development.

“This initiative reflects that South Africa will not be built by the government alone, it will be built through shared efforts,” said Malatsi.

Malatsi added that his department will contribute smart devices to support the programme.

Founded in 2007, the Maharishi Invincibility Institute has already educated more than 25,000 young people, many of whom have gone on to secure employment and support their families.

With the launch of the new hub, the institute is now looking to scale the impact, offering more young people the opportunity to access education, skills and careers that once seemed out of reach.

This story is produced by Our City News, a non-profit newsroom that serves the people of Johannesburg, and was written by Karabelo Phakoe.