It was as an 18-year-old matriculant that Maid4U owner Lindiwe Shibambo found work as a domestic worker.
Cooking, cleaning and ironing, Shibambo said she managed to raise enough money to enrol for an internal auditing qualification at Tshwane University of Technology.
On weekends Shibambo said she continued with domestic work, until she finally landed a job at a bank.
There the young graduate was asked on numerous occasions by colleagues to assist them to source nannies, au pairs and cleaners.
Living in a township, Shibambo said this was an easy feat as unemployment was rife. After years of providing this service, in 2008 her company Maid4U was born.
The company finds, screens and trains domestic workers and nannies, while also assisting them by ensuring their employers pay fair wages, register them for unemployment insurance and provide adequate health care options such as medical aid.
Shibambo’s business has a stall at the Buffalo City Metro Franchise Expo, which kicked off at the East London International Convention Centre yesterday.
The expo gave franchisors an opportunity to sell their business ideas to potential franchisees.
Other businesses at the expo include Credit Rescue, catering and décor company Nuvision, makeup and hair business Havillah Beauty and food franchise King Pie.
“I was motivated by the fact that the only person who will change this sector and make sure that people change their perceptions about this sector would be a former domestic worker, with the same person lucky enough to have been the employer of a domestic worker. That person was me,” Shibambo said.
“Therefore it became my purpose to ensure that I build something that will impact positively on lives, that will empower people and also help households.”
Apart from information stalls, the expo also held various workshops where a variety of speakers touched on different business topics.
One speaker was Absa provincial manager Mputumi Ntontela, who said opening a franchise was a smart move as it mitigated business risk.
Other workshop topics include an introduction into franchising, how to establish a brand and how to grow a business.
The expo will run until Saturday. Entry is free of charge. — zisandan@dispatch.co.za
Domestic work leader inspires others
Cooking, cleaning and ironing, Shibambo said she managed to raise enough money to enrol for an internal auditing qualification at Tshwane University of Technology.
On weekends Shibambo said she continued with domestic work, until she finally landed a job at a bank.
There the young graduate was asked on numerous occasions by colleagues to assist them to source nannies, au pairs and cleaners.
Living in a township, Shibambo said this was an easy feat as unemployment was rife. After years of providing this service, in 2008 her company Maid4U was born.
The company finds, screens and trains domestic workers and nannies, while also assisting them by ensuring their employers pay fair wages, register them for unemployment insurance and provide adequate health care options such as medical aid.
Shibambo’s business has a stall at the Buffalo City Metro Franchise Expo, which kicked off at the East London International Convention Centre yesterday.
The expo gave franchisors an opportunity to sell their business ideas to potential franchisees.
Other businesses at the expo include Credit Rescue, catering and décor company Nuvision, makeup and hair business Havillah Beauty and food franchise King Pie.
“I was motivated by the fact that the only person who will change this sector and make sure that people change their perceptions about this sector would be a former domestic worker, with the same person lucky enough to have been the employer of a domestic worker. That person was me,” Shibambo said.
“Therefore it became my purpose to ensure that I build something that will impact positively on lives, that will empower people and also help households.”
Apart from information stalls, the expo also held various workshops where a variety of speakers touched on different business topics.
One speaker was Absa provincial manager Mputumi Ntontela, who said opening a franchise was a smart move as it mitigated business risk.
Other workshop topics include an introduction into franchising, how to establish a brand and how to grow a business.
The expo will run until Saturday. Entry is free of charge. — zisandan@dispatch.co.za
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