Carole Nyevedzo Chingandu is a plumber doing the job she enjoys. She says it is fulfilling doing what one likes and she encourages other young ladies to take up the profession as there are surely very few women in her trade.
“Think of toilets; people can’t do without them. It’s true that there are icky moments in this trade, but it’s all worthy the effort. These days most women actually work in new construction projects and they don’t endure conditions any more difficult than other trades,” says Chingandu.
A 25-year-old single mother, Chingandu fell pregnant at 18 and the father to her son refused to take responsibility. Since then, she has been doing a refocus and has defied the odds to become productive and inspirational to other women.
A second year plumbing and drain laying student at Harare Polytechnic, Chingandu is one of the key people who had a hand in the construction of Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) School of Hospitality and Tourism as well as the Robert Mugabe School of Education campus in Masvingo.
She says she would like her story to inspire other women in similar circumstances not to give up.
“I am aware that in most cases, society is ready to write you off in terms of what your potential is,” she says.
Chingandu, therefore, urges young girls to behave responsibly such that they do not encounter then same pitfalls she once found herself in.local
