MTO Transforming lives: Nwabisa Mpompo’s journey of growth

Nwabisa Mpompo’s journey from unemployment to establishing a business and becoming a silviculture contractor has not been easy. It is a journey of overcoming self-doubt, seizing opportunities and gritty determination.

Hailing from King Williams Town, financial pressures forced Nwabisa to cut short her studies at Buffalo City College. Jobs were hard to find, and in 2008, she decided to continue searching further afield. Nwabisa moved in with her aunt in Stormsriver. Six months later, she found a job at a restaurant and then as an assistant chef at the Tsitsikamma Village Inn.

One day, she heard about a Department of Education tender for contractors to build the Stormsriver Primary School. They offered opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and those wanting to start a business.

Nwabisa was 26 years old and decided the time had come to be bold and independent.

With the assistance of the Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda), she registered Bamanye Construction Services (Pty) Ltd in 2016. With mixed feelings, she submitted a tender to the contractor. She heard that she was subcontracted on a two-year painting contract.

“I was scared because I knew nothing about construction work. But I also knew I would make it happen”, Nwabisa asserted. “I assembled a with an experienced painter and successfully completed the contract in 2018. I learnt a lot about sub-contracting in a rural area because materials are more expensive than in a big town”.

Then followed a period of uncertainty. “Although I didn’t win many tenders, I attended lots of site meetings, learnt about pricing and talked to people”, she recounted.

“In 2022, I heard about MTO’s enterprise and supplier development programmes for small businesses and applied”. “A week later, I received a phone call asking me, “Where are you?”.

MTO said it didn’t matter that I knew nothing about forestry; they would teach me. All I needed to do was employ 10 people to work with me. I was subcontracted to Umthi Contractors, and Schalk Marais of Umthi taught us how to prune and slash at MTO’s Tsitsikamma Plantation.

“While working at the plantation, I received feedback that MTO was happy with my work. In November 2023, Henry Cunningham, the Garcia Plantation manager, asked Umthi to send a silviculture team to Garcia. Umthi sent me to Garcia near Riversdale in the Western Cape. I managed 20 people, and we did pruning, slashing, blanking, and pitting work for two months.

“Early this year, I tendered for MTO’s silviculture work at the Garcia, Jonkershoek, and Kruisfontein Plantations. I was awarded the Garcia contract for three years, and this time, I am the main silviculture contractor”, she explained.

The three-year enterprise development contract began on 10 June 2024.

Nwabisa and her team of 18 are clearing and burning slash, spreading branches, spraying herbicides, pitting and planting pine seedlings and applying fertiliser. However, they first had to attend health and safety, first aid and firefighting training.

Nwabisa is grateful to MTO for the doors they are opening for her and the assistance she receives from her mentors, Sinoxolo “Sino” Sixaka and Henry Cunningham. Sino is MTO’s community liaison officer in the stakeholder relations department.

She says the most pressing challenges currently are applying for financing for a people carrier and meeting productivity targets when absenteeism is sometimes as high as 75%. “When you run a business, there are days when you ask, ‘Why am I doing this?’ and ‘Is it really worth it?’.

The answer is yes, keep trying.

“I didn’t set out to be an entrepreneur. I saw and took an opportunity. My message to women is to be confident and never give up”.

Written By: Joy Crane

Source: WoodBiz Africa – July 2024 Magazine (Pages 33 – 34)

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