Barloworld Social Innovation Youth Awards | About

Celebrating decades of empowering women in the industry.

In 1921, Anne E Barlow, wife of founder Ernest'Billy'Barlow took over as governing director of Thomas Barlow & Sons, the early predecessor to the Barloworld Group, when her husband died from wounds obtained in battle during World War One. The legacy of her leadership has remained with the Barloworld Group, and today we celebrate this legacy by sharing treasured nuggets of advice from some of the women of #TeamBarloworld on what it will take to maintain the culture of female excellence that has taken the Barloworld Group to 16 countries in 117 years of operations.

Mfikeyi Makayi - Operations Manager

Time at Barloworld: 2 Years

"When you incorporate more female staff in any business, there are different takes on how you operate and how you make decisions. That can also save companies and make them more sustainable."

Mupeta Ndashye
Sales Consultant

Time at Barloworld: 3 Years

"I think we should expose girls at a young age to all the possibilities that are available so that they can make informed decisions regarding teir careers. Sometimes we are scared of what we don't knoe."

Angela Jilowa Zulu
Field Service Planner

Time at Barloworld: 7 Years

"I love mechanics. It's my passion. One thing that would help draw more women into the field would be to have other women mentor and share the experiencs that they have had. In a technical environment, it's mostly about mind-set and knowledge of the job."

Mwaka Nalungwe Nondo
Parts Warehouse Assistant

Time at Barloworld: 8 Years

"You need to be very confident and determined. You need to tell yourself that you can do the work. Because if you are just going to sit in a shell, then you will never get to know what is out there."

Natasha Mwale
Warehouse Assistant

Time at Barloworld: 10 Months

"I think it's about breaking the notion that something can only be done by men. Anyone can do it. Don't limit yourself. Put your abilities on the market and just go out there and do it."

Mary Munkata - Executive Assistant to the Country Manager

Time at Barloworld: 3 Years

"You just have to be committed in whatever it is that you are doing. People see that commitment and they begin to say to themselves that maybe she can manage more if we give to her."

Felistus Ngoma
Heavy Equipment Repair Apprentice

Time at Barloworld: 3 Years

"Heavy Equipment Repair is not a hard thing to do. Of course there are challenges, but it's mainly just hard work and concentration that is required. If men can do it. so can we!"

Diana Muyangano - Heavy Equipment Repair (HER) Appretice

Time at Barloworld: 4 Years

"Society has got a wrong perspective on women doing this kind of work. Of course you get dirty at some point, but you'll change into your normal clothes. Let's the girls that we are bringing up and who are currently in school do technical subjects!"

Rennie Shamambo - General Mechanic:
Heavy Equipment Repair (HER)

Time at Barloworld: 8 Years

"It's all about having an open mind. A lot of people have this perception that only men can be mechanics. I wanted to do something different and I said 'okay, let me try this(heavy equipment repair)' and I have grown to love what I do."

Barloworld Social Innovations Youth awards