Homestay Hero: Wendy Mfazwe
Friday, 23rd August 2024
Quick Fire Interview: 10 minutes with, Wendy Mfazwe
Certain reports indicate that women are more likely to engage in activities in industries that enhance job creation, highlighting the significance of female entrepreneurs in expanding the country's economy. Wendy Mfazwe the owner of a stunning lodging facility in Makhanda, answers a series of quick-fire interview questions about the significance of women's participation in the social and economic advancement of our country.
Wendy's perseverance and her fervour for Christian faith are what have propelled her from being a fledgling company owner with no prior experience in hospitality to an established homestay operator! Wendy, who recently returned from a vacation in Dubai following the demanding work of the National Arts Festival, thinks that perseverance is essential for success, particularly for women in business.
"The journey has been challenging yet rewarding. When I first started in this business, I was often untrained and unsure of what I was doing. I was forced to rely on the counsel of others. As a result, she exhorts everyone, but especially young women, to get involved in the tourism industry by starting small, remaining patient and committed and making sure to network.
Let’s hear more from her:
Quick Fire Questions with Wendy Mfazwe
𝘛𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘶𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳?
I worked as a Chief Education Specialist at Amathole West District.
What obstacles and limits did you encounter while attempting to engage in entrepreneurial activities?
I started this business by accommodation church people and learners from different schools. Then I saw that I needed to grow and learn more about the industry, because I was using my own knowledge which is I needed the hospitality knowledge. So, the challenges were that I did not know where to go and make my business visible and exposure. Because after church conferences and sports activities it was back to normal. So that is why I sat down, and I was like I needed to go there and find out more about this industry.
𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺?
We are working as team, and we always encourage each other. Also, we have the skills to run the hospitality industry.
𝘙𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭-𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦?
I work very hard when I have free time, I make sure that I go out even if I don’t have money. Recently after the National Arts Festival I went to Dubai with my friend.
𝘐𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯-𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘪.𝘦., 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘵𝘩?
There is still a room for growth because somewhere as women we need to work together and not drag each down. If we want to lead as women we need to work and help each other to grow in the business.
𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺?
Be patient! Your today will not be the safe as your tomorrow meaning you can get guests today but tomorrow you can not get guests. So, you need to be patient and have faith. Also start small, you don’t need to have a big house your small flat or 2-bedroom house that is where you start, you learn and grow as time goes by.
𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘩 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯?
It is when I bought my furniture, my beautiful furniture even now I am planning to buy a new one for the bedrooms.
Wendy and Sons Homestay is located at 4 Irving Street, Makhanda. It is a beautiful house with 4 bedrooms. The house is suitable for someone who wants to feel at home because as soon the person enters the house feels at home because of the warmth that is given to guests.
