It is an uncontested fact that men generally still earn more in many patriotic societies across the world. There’s a preference for men when it comes to leadership positions. Think of Africa and the planet in general. How many female presidents are there compared to their male counterparts? Even though considered one of the more “equal” countries in Africa, South Africans have yet to see a female president.

On paper, “equality” is propagated, but the absence of sponsorships in female-dominated sports (as compared to male-dominated sports), salary discrepancies, and the misrepresentation of women in science communicates on its own. Women still have a long way to go. It is, therefore, encouraging to see women such as Dr Thandi Ndlovu and Nonkululeko Gobodo. They give us hope and remind us all that women are worthy of the highest praise.

Dr Thandi Ndlovu

In the racially charged, discriminatory Apartheid era, Dr Ndlovu found a way to penetrate male-dominated sectors. Even when moulded by Apartheid’s past, she chose to emerge and press on like never before to be a successful entrepreneur. Her presence encourages teen entrepreneurs to cling on to gaining skills, latching onto education and opportunities so that they can make the future a better place by their career of choice.

Growing up in the Free State province, violence, segregation and racism were the order of the day. When you see Dr Ndlovu, you may be tempted to think that some people have it all from the start. What you may not know is that like all successful people, she had to press through tough times and go through fire to come out refined, polished and worthy of shining.

Her story is one that includes being exiled for 18 years in Mozambique and then Zambia during the Apartheid era, and having her mom pass away while she was in exile. Her brother was shot dead, and her sisters exiled.

While many of you may be excited at the prospects of studying abroad, studying at the Young Communist League School in Moscow with a broken heart was a challenging experience. Among her studying accomplishments, Ndlovu studied to become a medical doctor after registering at the University of Zambia. It is worth mentioning that she qualified the day before Nelson Mandela’s release from prison in 1990.

Not only is she a medical doctor, but she has also found her way into the construction industry where she helps to build mass houses that give dignity to people.

Dr Ndlovu is also part of a team that works on road infrastructure and civil engineering. Their work in the industry enables her to help with training urban and rural youth while also contributing to job creation.

Her story teaches us that women can and should continuously apply themselves. She reminds us that women can and do count.

Nonkululeko Gobodo

It is hard to believe that Gobodo was once a reserved, shy little girl with low self-esteem who grew up in the then independent Transkei (now part of the Eastern Cape province). Being the middle child of five, she never considered herself to be the brightest spark. She says her mom told her that she was not going to make it far in life.

Thank goodness for her dad (a teacher by profession), who stepped in to rewrite the script of her life. He encouraged and celebrated her – even slaughtering a sheep for her when she tried harder at school and her marks improved. Her first hands-on experience in the entrepreneurial space came when she helped to run her parents shop from a very young age.

Like with all things worth having, success did not come without challenges. Forced into marriage after falling pregnant at a young age, and separating at 34, life was not as planned. While pregnant, she took time off to work at her father’s panel-beating shop in Mthatha, and that’s when she fell in love with numbers, accounting to be more specific.

Gobodo was encouraged to see black auditors working in her father’s business. This ignited a fire that led her to become South Africa’s first black female chartered accountant – and the rest, as they say, is history.

What these ladies show us is that it is never too late to invest in a brighter future for upcoming generations.

They teach us that we are enough, just as we are, yet we must strive to achieve greater success.

They remind us that there is room for everyone under the sun and that the time to groom upcoming teen boss leaders is now.

This Women’s Month, sow a seed to grow South Africa’s teen entrepreneurs. Who knows, someday your future self will be glad you did.