A South African woman made headlines after pictures of her renovating her own house went viral.
I have never been a typical heavy-duty work person so my interest is drawn when I see a fellow woman doing such work; I really appreciate and enjoy writing about it.
Zama Philiswe Zungu is a civil engineer by profession and she said that constructing an extension of her own house was a good experience for her as she had the chance to put her theory into practice.
Zungu, who studied civil engineering at Umgungundlovu TVET College in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, was inspired by her father, who is also a builder. Though she did not have any construction experience prior to building her house, she did everything single-handedly. She moulded the bricks, took measurements and stacked the building blocks without any assistance.
Construction is generally classified as a man’s job, and Zungu has been applauded for correcting the misconception and setting the bar high for other women who want to pursue the same field.
In an interview with Briefly, Zungu had a word of advice for fellow women.
“Always put your best in everything that you do, never underestimate the power of pouring your heart in what you do. Always seek to improve and empower yourself,” she said.
The 26-year-old woman did not only become a social media sensation but was also the poster girl for Women’s Month celebration for her success in the male-dominated field. Her hope is to own a construction company one day and use it as a tool to empower more women in the engineering sector.
Phoebie Shamiso Chigonde is a journalist passionate about gender equality, social development programmes and grassroots-based solution seeking initiatives. She has a passion for women and community development. Phoebie is also a radio personality at a regional commercial radio station, a platform that enables her to network with like-minded women, journalists and activists as she continues to document and tell the story of the ordinary woman from the lens of that very ordinary woman.