–in male dominated construction sector
MAMPENE Mohale is a young Mosotho woman who started from nothing but is now making waves in the construction sector. Her determination and resilient spirit, propelling her to break barriers in a predominantly male dominated profession.
A civil engineering professional, Ms Mohale owns Honourable Designs Empire, a construction company employing ten people, where she spends her days overseeing the construction of houses.
As the Lesotho Times wraps up its series of honouring young Basotho women making waves in different sectors, in recognition of the Africa Women’s Month, we caught up with Ms Mohale, who shared her story with reporter, ‘Mathatisi Sebusi.
Ms Mohale is the first daughter of popular famo music legend, Lephoi Mohale aka Mantša, and his late wife, ‘Malekena. She was raised at Phamong in Tajane, Mafeteng District.
She first developed a passion for building houses at the tender age of 8, after witnessing the construction of the Mohale family home in rural Tajane.
It was her father who funded her tertiary education to pursue civil engineering as she could not secure a National Manpower Development Secretariat (NMDS) sponsorship.
However, plying her trade in a sector dominated by men, is not without challenges. Mohale has had her work undermined by male clients despite the quality and perfection she strives for. Despite the hurdles, her biggest achievement is the establishment of her company.
EXCERPTS:
LT: Please tell us who Mampene Mohale is.
Mohale: Mampene Ernestina Mohale is daughter to Mr Lephoi Mantša and late Malekena Mantša. I was born in 1990 and raised in Phomolong in the Tajane region of Mafeteng district. I am a civil engineer, building high quality houses in the country and offering other engineering related services to the public.
LT: What are your memories growing up, those that you would say influenced your outlook towards life?
Mohale: I grew up in a family full of love and witnessed the love my mother and father shared, and the role they played in empowering and helping our community when in need, such as during funerals or just to ensure that a certain family did not go to bed hungry. Watching them being such selfless humans encouraged me to be a better person and the most compassionate I could ever be.
I have always wanted to see myself helping not just my community but also being someone who can make an impact in the country. Growing up in a community where there was little to no inspiration for the younger generation to look up to, I wanted to grow up and be the inspiration I needed. Not just for me but for all children in my community.
Coming to Maseru to study, I realised that there was more to life than what I had become familiar with in my village and all I needed was to work hard and focus on my studies to achieve my dreams.
LT: What was your most favourite moment or experience in life?
Mohale: My most favourite moment was graduating from the Maluti TVET College in Qwaqwa, in the Free State Province of South Africa where I studied Civil Engineering. Finishing my studies was very tough as I was not sponsored by the NMDS. My father paid to see me through college. Finally graduating and being the first person in my community to graduate, was the highlight of my life’s journey.
I did not do so well in my final year at high school, but that did not discourage me from going after my dream of studying engineering. I worked so hard that I got two awards for my outstanding performance.
LT: Now, let’s talk about you being a lady in construction. What motivated you to venture into construction?
Mohale: Back in 1998 when my family house was under construction, I was inspired by one of the construction employees who was installing the ceiling. He was so good with his hands, so much that I vowed there and then, that I would also be outstanding in whatever course of study I would embark on. I would sit by him while working, just to ensure that I immersed myself in every step of his craft, until he finished installing the ceiling.
Then when I grew up, I explored different career options, all of which I liked. However, I had this unquenchable thirst to be different, to not be part of the crowd, and for my work to be outstanding. Thus, I chose to study civil engineering, a field which then was and still is dominated by men.
Choosing this career was me testing my capabilities as a young woman, to see if I can be an outstanding engineer and believe me, I managed to pass the challenge. I am excelling in the industry, even if I have to say so myself. It was my aunt from Qwaqwa who introduced me to Maluti TVET college, where my love for the unique career was nurtured and I flourished.
LT: What is your day like as a lady in construction and what do you actually do?
Mohale: My day as a lady in construction is a very busy and tiring one, yet fulfilling and full of fun and new challenges. Despite life’s challenges, using my hands and making a life for myself by building houses is a dream come true. Well, not just for me but also for my father who has always been supportive and has big dreams for me.
Mixing sand with cement and carrying bricks all day is hard work for a lady but very doable. At the end of the day, despite the tiredness I would feel, work would have been done. I get the job very well done as a lady in this very tough construction sector.
LT: The construction sector is dominated by men. Have you or your work ever been undermined because you are a woman?
Mohale: There was a project that I worked on where I was hired as a supervisor. I was hired just after my predecessor who was male had to leave. We worked together for a month before he left to work elsewhere.
The client was initially introduced to him as supervisor but after his departure, I had to oversee the work, supervising construction. It would be an understatement to say the client was dissatisfied. My work was perfect, it spoke for itself. But I was told that the client said it was their first time seeing a woman doing some construction work. Therefore, he was not happy that I was overseeing the project. He believed that construction work was supposed to be done solely by men. That project hurt me to the core especially because I was halfway through it and doing the best job ever. I mean, that was one of the projects very close to my heart and I was sure that it would showcase my skills, and possibly open doors for me. Instead, I got undermined because of my gender not my work.
But my employer was impressed by my work and loved it even more than he did that of my predecessor’s.
So, as a woman working in an industry dominated by men, I am very careful not to falter as I know that I might get undermined and criticised condescendingly. I make sure that I adhere to industry standards in every project I work on.
I hope that people could understand that women can do any job a man can do, maybe do it even better. Undermining women because of gender is unfair, not just to women but also to the country which might lose out on talent due to gender stereotypes.
LT: Do you have your own company or are you currently employed? If you have your own company, how many employees do you have and what services do you offer?
Mohale: I am working under my company, Honourable Designs Empire, which I am in the process of registering and currently have 10 employees. I started working alone in October 2023. I have worked on different construction projects in Maseru including the one in Qoaling, Green City and the one I am currently working on in Masowe II.
My company offers services including house plans. We build high quality houses and do paving. I do and oversee all the work by myself with assistance from my employees.
LT: What achievements do you pride yourself in?
Mohale: Things I pride myself in, include my graduation; being able to mother my siblings and my late elder brother’s child, whose mother died shortly after my mother passed away. So, I had to mature fast, raising my younger sister and younger brother who was only eight years old when our mother died, and my niece. I sacrificed a lot to make sure that my siblings experienced a healthy childhood in my mother’s absence.
Another achievement I pride myself in, is being able to start good quality projects and seeing them through to the end. Being able to build a house from scratch makes me very proud.
LT: Any challenges in your line of work?
Mohale: Challenges in my line of work are many, primarily those relating to finances. The lack of financial resources is real. I am not the kind of person who likes being served things on a silver platter. I believe in hard work. People tend to think that since my father is someone famous, he has the financial muscle to bankroll me. But he, as a person, worked hard to get to where he is today. So, it’s only fair that I too work hard for the future I have envisioned for myself. I do not like relying on him only to struggle when he is not around. I experience challenges, which I do overcome eventually.
LT: Apart from the construction work, what else do you do?
Mohale: Apart from building houses, I am an actor. I acted under the guidance of Bofihla ‘Neko aka Lilaphalapha, while in high school. As I grew up, I made contacts with local creative arts personalities including popular actor, Tseko Monaheng, where I acted in a movie called, I Am Alive directed by Habofanoe Letsosa. It went on to win an award in 2015.
I am also a model. I model my sister’s clothes. She is a fashion designer, and I am currently working on an afro-pop album with her. I am also a dancer at Mantša Music Entertainment.
