“In keeping with the theme of National Women’s Day, I’d like to share with you my experience of how women in construction are treated differently in different parts of Africa.
This topic is actually quite close to my heart and something I feel very passionate about, as it is very interesting to see how some countries are leaps and bounds ahead in some areas and miles behind in others. In Kenya and the rest of East Africa, women are well represented, and you will see a woman in almost every single firm you deal with. The men from these countries are also respectful towards women and are willing to hear their opinions and accept them as authority figures.
Strangely, while we are ahead of East Africa in areas such as quality in South Africa, some things are still done in a very old-school way. There is often either one woman at the table who wants to be the top of the pops and would prefer to be the only woman around – or no women. Many South African men in the industry still share some staunch beliefs and aren’t all that interested to hear what a woman has to say.
However, this is my experience – I’d love to hear what other women in the industry have to say about their experiences.”- Mikayla Benkenstein, Director
