Nomasonto Hlewayo’s (35) business provides high-quality plumbing services but also offers training to equip the next generation of skilled plumbers, with a strong focus on women. She wants to empower women in a traditionally male-dominated field by offering construction and plumbing training.

She was inspired by Women in Plumbing founder Lorraine Mooi, a professional plumber like her mother, who opened her eyes to the possibility of such a career path.

“That is when I started my journey of plumbing.”

Women in plumbing are usually not trusted to do the job. Photo supplied

When she started the AVA Group in 2016, she was “just a general builder and also doing some civil work”. Now they have 35 employees in the two provinces, the Free State and the Northern Cape.

AVA Group and Women in Plumbing have a partnership that empowers young people and women by training them to be plumbers and also by recognising their prior learning so that they may also join us in this field, she said.

To realise her long-term goal of increasing female representation in the plumbing industry Hlewayo has been accredited to offer plumbing training. It allows her to mentor and coach other young women in the industry.

Women in the industry face many challenges, including navigating workplaces that are not always inclusive, and not having enough resources to buy equipment that will make them credible and competitive.

Nomasonto Hlewayo empowers young people and women to join plumbing. Photo supplied

“When we go into communities people do not expect a woman to be able to do that job as it is a messy job. Often people do not trust us with their business or are unsure that we will be able to complete the job,” said Hlewayo.

“With these challenges, we have thrived and overcome them. We don’t have a formula for breaking gender stereotypes in plumbing, we just try to take it one day at a time.”

OFM News/Zenande Mpame mvh