Mona Afanga’s essay “When Algorithms Meet Daily Rituals” wins 4th “China in My Eyes” essay contest and appears in the June 2026 edition of ChinAfrica

An award-winning essay by Mona Afanga, a PhD student at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), has been published in the June 2026 issue of ChinAfrica magazine. Titled “When Algorithms Meet Daily Rituals,” the essay recounts Afanga’s personal journey of discovering how digital innovation is reshaping everyday life in China — from cashless payments and AI-powered health care to smart governance and intelligent living spaces.

The essay was the winning entry in the 4th “China in My Eyes—China’s Digital Development in My Eyes” contest, organised by UESTC for international students. In it, Afanga describes arriving from Morocco and being surprised by the ubiquity of mobile payments, before going on to explore AI-assisted medical consultations, smart elderly-care devices, robot-guided hotel services, voice-controlled home systems, and Alipay’s credit-scoring ecosystem. She reflects on how these technologies helped her transition from confusion to fascination, and ultimately to feeling at home in a digitally driven society.

“This isn’t theory, it’s what’s already working!” Afanga said. “I wanted to show how technologies like QR codes, AI assistants, and smart governance don't just feel futuristic, they create a more seamless, trusting, and human way of living, and this essay reflects my personal journey from confusion to fascination, and finally, to feeling at home in a digitally driven society.”

The publication in ChinAfrica marks a significant milestone for the contest, bringing a UESTC student’s voice to an international readership across China and Africa.

The 5th “China in My Eyes - Intelligence and Digital Integration Enrich All Things; Action Ignites a New Journey: My Perspective on the Practice of Digital China” Essay Competition is now open for submissions, with a deadline of June 30, 2026. International students are warmly encouraged to participate and share their stories of life in China.

Read the full essay: https://www.chinafrica.cn/Homepage/202606/t20260610_800439523.html

Learn more about the contest: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/UMhjYDsXqEIpBOJXgfddjw