Lerato Masuku, a South African construction business builder with a passion for infrastructure development and job creation

October 5, 2025 Melanie Hawken

Lerato Masuku, director, Bokamo Warona Construction (South Africa)

Lerato Masuku is the visionary director of Bokamo Warona Construction, a 100% black female-owned company based in Daveyton, Benoni. Founded with a passion for quality and community development, the company specialises in general building, maintenance, plumbing, civil works, paving, and general supplies. Under Lerato's leadership, Bokamo Warona Construction has earned a reputation for delivering reliable and professional services, including recent successful projects such as slurry work on the R56 in the Eastern Cape. Lerato is committed to empowering women in the construction industry while growing a business that supports infrastructure and job creation across South Africa. The business was launched in 2016 and has created jobs for 10 people.

Anne K Rweyora, an inspirational entrepreneur enabling women to own climate-smart homes in Uganda

February 9, 2025 Melanie Hawken

Anne K Rweyora, founder, Smart Havens Africa (Uganda)

Anne K Rweyora is the founder of Smart Havens Africa, an impact-driven business launched in 2018 aimed at contributing to Uganda’s housing sector by helping low-income women to become home-owners. As a female civil engineer driven to positively change lives, Anne’s business stands out by offering an innovative, eco-friendly, and empowering pathway to homeownership for women-headed families.

Anastasia Machobane, a South African entrepreneur helping businesses ensure they comply with the laws of the country

May 12, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Anastasia Machobane, founder and ceo, Mashobane Advisory Services (South Africa)

Anastasia Machobane is the founder and ceo of Mashobane Advisory Services in South Africa, a business focusing on providing specialist legal and business administration services to the mostly under-serviced SMME market. She works independently or within team environments, and has a diplomatic/assertive approach in dealing with EXCO and Board members of any organisation. She is passionate about skills development and does this through her mentorship program. The business has created jobs for 5 people.

Silvia Ferreira, a Mozambican entrepreneur changing the world one brick at a time

August 6, 2023 Melanie Hawken

Silvia Ferreira, founder, Cosini Lda (Mozambique)

Silvia Ferreira is the founder of Cosini Lda, a construction, real estate and industrial solutions company started in Mozambique in 2020 and with a workforce of 12. She is the winner of the Access bank 2022 award for the biggest Female Entrepreneurship project in Mozambique. She has an MBA in supply chain from Vlerick Business School in Belgium.

Stacey Menga Onyango, a Kenyan entrepreneur building a visionary construction business

November 6, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Minkoti Agencies Limited, a specialist, high-growth, Kenyan construction company specializing in building and civil works

Stacey Menga Onyango is the Director / Founder of Minkoti Agencies Limited in Kenya. Stacey is the sole director of the company that was founded in 2009 as a small enterprise business dealing in general supplies, and has since grown into a middle enterprise business with over 60 employees. Stacey has a background in Human Resources and Strategic Management but decided to defy the odds and get into the construction sector in 2018. The company offers quality building and civil construction services both to the government and private sector, and has in the past year upscaled the operations of the company to South Sudan.

Mampho Sotshongaye, an award-winning South African leader in construction

February 27, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Mampho Sotshongaye, founder & Managing Director, Golden Rewards 1981 (South Africa)

Golden Rewards 1981 cc, a South African construction business empowering and upskilling women in the sector

Mampho Sotshongaye is the founder and Managing Director of Golden Rewards 1981 cc in South Africa. She is an entrepreneur and award-winning business leader, and her construction business has won local awards and received international recognitions. She founded the business in 2010 but started operations in January 2013 and now employs 56 people from disadvantaged communities. On an ongoing basis, she applies various skills transfer and community upliftment programmes, providing training and support for local workers in all projects. Mampho brings 18 years of experience in the construction industry to the business having previously worked as a Construction Manager and Contracts Manager.

Indrani Govender, a construction business founder, creating jobs and changing lives

April 18, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Indrani Govender, founder, Ricinz Construction (South Africa)

Indrani Govender is the founder and owner of Ricinz Construction, a business established in 2010 in South Africa which today employs 20 people. The single mother of two boys, Indrani is an award winning entrepreneur recognized for her business and the number of jobs she has created in the community. Her passion is to uplift women and youth and ensure a better life for those who have given up on life. She now strives to create wealth for all her employees.

Nondumiso Zendile, a South African woman in construction helping to urbanize previously disadvantaged areas

July 26, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Nondumiso Zendile, founder of Kingsworth Civils and Construction Pty Ltd (South Africa)

In South Africa, the need for well constructed, affordable housing, commercial and industrial buildings has never been greater in terms of building a sustainable economy. For entrepreneur Nondumiso Zendile, owner and ceo of Kingsworth Civils and Construction Pty Ltd, her goal is to be part of the solution to meet such needs.

Thobile Nyawo, a powerhouse entrepreneur building a legacy civil construction business in South Africa

March 1, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Thobile Nyawo, founder of Nyawo Construction (South Africa)

The civil and building construction industry sectors are traditionally tough industry sectors to break into as a young, ambitious entrepreneur. But for Thobile Nyawo, founder of Nyawo Construction in South Africa, she believes there are no hurdles in business that cannot be overcome with hard work and tenacity.

Lynelle Blunden, a South African entrepreneur fabricating finely crafted granite and marble surfaces into interior spaces

October 26, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Lynelle Blunden, owner of City Granite (South Africa)

Visit any good home, office or hotel interior and the chances are you will see beautiful granite or marble work surfaces and staircases. They are the mark of a high quality interior design space. In South Africa, entrepreneur Lynelle Blunden, owner of City Granite, is a specialist in fabricating and installing these unique materials to transform any ordinary space into something special.

Marta Vânia Uetela, a Mozambican entrepreneur creating an innovative solution to the country’s housing challenges

March 30, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Marta Vânia Uetela, founder of Minimal (Mozambique) — **Marta Vânia Uetela**, founder of Minimal (Mozambique)

For many young people and startup businesses in Mozambique, getting a foot onto the housing and property ladder can be tough. But that is about to change thanks to Marta Vânia Uetela, a woman entrepreneur with a big vision and a great solution who is exciting everyone with her flexible and sustainable housing solution for the country.

Laurettah Sibanda, an entrepreneur in Botswana building a successful construction and real estate development company

November 10, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Laurettah Sibanda, founder of Atlantis Construction Group and Developments (Botswana)

The world of building and construction is a tough one to break into, but one entrepreneur in Botswana is doing just that. Laurettah Sibanda, founder of Atlantis Construction Group and Developments (Pty) Ltd, is building a reputation for quality project delivery and a great approach to service.

Joelle Eyeson, an entrepreneur creating affordable eco housing solutions using rammed earth construction in Ghana

May 6, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Joelle Eyeson, co-founder of Hive Earth (Ghana) — **Joelle Eyeson**, co-founder of Hive Earth (Ghana)

Creating affordable housing solutions in Africa is a key challenge for many countries, and particularly homes that are eco-friendly. But Joelle Eyeson, co-founder of Hive Earth, is bringing a new and innovative solution to Ghana, and one that is replicable across the continent.

Michelle Pires Mbilizi, a Malawian serial entrepreneur creating customer retail and service experiences to remember

March 14, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Michelle Mbilizi, serial entrepreneur (Malawi) — **Michelle Mbilizi,** serial entrepreneur (Malawi)

There are some women entrepreneurs who don’t just think of building one business, but have the vision and imagination to create several, and Malawian entrepreneur Michelle Mbilizi is one of those.

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