A female engineer known as Zama Philisiwe Zungu has become a source of inspiration to many women who desire independence and seek to succeed in fields dominated by men.
Photos showing the South African woman constructing an extension to her home have gone viral on social media.
The 26-year-old from Pietermaritzburg became an internet sensation after pictures showed her preparing the cement, making all the measurements and stacking the building blocks as she built the house all by herself.
Zungu’s act also empowered other women to follow their dreams even if the odds are stacked against them.
South African news site, Briefly, managed to track down the lady, who turned out to be a trained civil engineer.
She inherited the passion for construction from her father, who is also a builder, and made the decision to become an engineer in 2014, enrolling at the Umgungundlovu TVET College in her home city.
Zungu opened up on how she had never worked in construction before, but that the practical exams she had passed during college gave her the confidence that she could build the extension to her house by herself.
“This is what I am good at, renovating my home is very fun and exciting at the same time, practicals are more fun than theory.” she said.
The engineer dreams of owning her own construction company someday and plans to empower more women in the engineering industry.
“Always put your best in everything that you do, never underestimate the power of pouring your heart in what you do. Always seek to improve and empower yourself,” Zungu advised women.
