BAKU, AZERBAIJAN – Keith Honwin, the Liswati student who met His Majesty the King on his visit to ASAN xidmat on Tuesday has developed a platform company, HonwinOne, focused on practical digital solutions for Eswatini, Africa and beyond.
The King is in Baku, Azerbaijan for the 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13) and is visiting and meeting a number of stakeholders with the view to lure investment to Eswatini and learn from their systems to improve service delivery.
It was whilst visiting the ASAN xidmat that he met with two Emaswati students Honwin and Carlene Lennet, both from Fairview, Manzini.
Honwin came to Azerbaijan to study international relations at ADA University more than six years ago.
“During my time here, I was exposed to public-sector innovation, digital governance, and service-delivery systems, including the work around ASAN and Azerbaijan’s wider innovation ecosystem.
“That experience helped shape the work I am now building through HonwinOne, my technology and development-focused company. HonwinOne is focused on using AI, digital platforms, and smart systems to support education, youth development, local commerce, opportunity access, and practical service delivery,” he said.
Honwin said some of the projects already under his company include;
- OrbitBridge – an education and admissions infrastructure platform that connects students, schools, universities, NGOs, and opportunities.
- GYAP – a youth development and global opportunity platform inspired by my experience being selected for the SWY30 Japanese Cabinet Office programme.
- Pickly – a local commerce and pickup-first ordering platform for restaurants, shops, markets, and small businesses.
- LightningDNA – an earlier education and opportunity-matching concept focused on helping young people build direction and access better pathways.
He said his interest has always been to learn how strong institutions, technology, and good public-service systems can be adapted for Eswatini and the wider region.
“That is why meeting His Majesty the King was deeply meaningful for me. I was honestly excited and honoured because it felt like a rare opportunity to share ideas that could one day serve my country. I have been in Azerbaijan for several years through my studies and related professional exposure.
“I am currently in a transition period, finalising my academic and professional matters here while also exploring how the knowledge, networks, and systems I have been exposed to can be useful back home,” Honwin said.
On Tuesday Minister for Information Communications and Technology(ICT) Savannah Maziya and the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovation, signed a cooperation agreement that seeks to support Eswatini in establishing an advanced ‘one-stop shop’ public service delivery mechanism based on Azerbaijan’s internationally recognised‘ASAN xidmat’ model.
Azerbaijan’s ASAN xidmat system has received international recognition, including the United Nations Public Service Award for improving the delivery of public services, and has become a globally recognised model for integrated government services.
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