Women of the month!!!

Our external woman of the month goes to Lischen Akuvamile Ndlovu as she has risen in the Construction Industry Development Board, she holds a BA Degree in Psychology completed with the University of Pretoria, she then completed her Honours Degree in Psychology with the University of South Africa and is currently completing her Master's in Psychology.

Her biggest achievement worth noting would be ''watching learner contractors in programs moving up the grades and knowing that I have been part of the process.''

We sat down with Lischen and had interviewed her to get to know her better, here is what she had to say when questioned:

How has working within the corporate industry been for you and what has been your biggest achievement yet?

Working in corporate has exposed me to so many avenues. I have learnt to work with different people from different walks of life. An achievement worth noting would be watching learning contractors in programs moving up the grades and knowing that I have been part of the process.

What inspired you to choose this industry that you are working in, and would you advise young women to work within such an industry?

The industry has been male dominated previously but I'm happy and proud to see that women are now making their waves within the industry. We need more of them going into the industry, starting with them taking Built Environment courses at tertiary level.

Who inspires you and why?

I don't have any single point of reference when it comes to being inspired. I look at different things and different people and draw inspiration every day from such. Today I can be inspired by Lareal Mitchel who is a fitness fanatic, tomorrow I can be inspired by my 8-year-old son, Nathi Ndlovu, for taking the initiative of reading a book for school merits without being told to do so.

I draw inspiration from the little and everyday things that seem so small, yet they make a big impact. If you really look and listen closely, inspiration is all around us. 

As a black female what advice would you give to young girls in SA?

To the young SA girl, I would say: Love yourself and put yourself first. No dream is too big to achieve. 

How do you juggle the work/life balance?

When you do something that you love, you do not feel like you are juggling anything. I enjoy my work and I love exercising, so the two aspects of my life blend in nicely together. 

I find exercising very soothing and calming. I'm up at 05h00 each morning to go to gym. I exercise 5 times a week and sometimes 6 times a week. Would love to do it 7 times a week.

I also have a supportive partner who steps in nicely when I'm on burn-out mode, this happens to the best of us as well. With being a private person, comes the joy of not having to be pressurized to conform and this really helps with the balance that is so needed.  

BMW or Mercedes and why?

I'm not brand driven. Comfort and affordability without breaking the bank is what I look at.

With an industry that fostered little female representation Lischen worked her way up as she knew she wanted to change the narrative.

Happy Women's Month once again to all the strong, beautiful, confident, powerful, loving, caring women out there!!!