Inspiration

Hard Work Pays Off

Vuyolwethu Vuvu Badi

Vuyolwethu Badi (Vuvu to those who know her) is a 24 year old Quantity Surveyor with NM Group, a firm providing Quantity Surveying and Project Management Services. The NM Group is a wholly black female owned company with offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Bloemfontein and Kimberly. Vuvu has worked for them for the past 5 years and is one of a handful of black female quantity surveyors in South Africa making her a leader amongst her peers. Whilst studying at TUT Vuvu came into contact with Khuthaza and attended their Women in Construction workshop. Vuvu was recently asked to speak at a Cornerstone Workshop, addressing a group of women about her role as a Quantity Surveyor.
Vuvu was born and raised in a small Eastern Cape town of Middeldrift. Her parents are both educated professionals and she is the second of three daughters. Vuvu attended primary school in Middeldrift before going away to boarding school at the age of 12. At school, Vuvu performed well academically excelling at mathematics and accounting. She also did well at athletics playing netball for the provincial team. In addition to obtaining colours for academics and sports Vuvu was made a prefect and later became the head girl of her dorm.
While Vuvu was at boarding school, some repair and maintenance work was being done to the dorm where she was housed. Being a naturally curious person Vuvu approached the contractors. She was particularly fascinated by one gentleman who seemed to have a slightly authoritative demeanour. He was walking around with a bunch of measuring instruments “something that looked like a ruler” and making notes. Vuvu simply went up to him and asked him what he was doing. It turned out that he was a government employee doing an inspection. That is how Vuvu first came to know about Quanity Surveying as a profession.
Vuvu soon learnt that with her good marks in accounting and maths, she would make a good candidate for acceptance to a Technikon for tertiary studies in Quanity Surveying. She applied and was accepted by the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT). Having completed the first year of study, all students were required to obtain internship work in order to commence their second year of study. Vuvu, having few resources and very little information went to the Department of Public Works building in Pretoria. Vuvu was stopped at the door by security who wanted to know who she was there to see. Panicking, she randomly picked a name of a board at the entrance and was admitted in to the building. Vuvu, co-incidentally had picked the name of a female Quantity Surveyor and thought that since the ball was rolling she might as well see it through.
She then proceeded to the women’s office to plead her case explaining that she was not interested in remuneration and was keen to learn. Fortuitously, and to her great surprise the woman was willing to assist her. She provided Vuvu with a list of companies who would be willing to take on an intern and asked her for a copy of her CV.
Probably as a result of her excellent school results, three of the companies Vuvu contacted were willing to see her. NM Group being the most conveniently located was Vuvu’s first choice and she has been with them since. Vuvu completed her BTECH Degree in 2007. She is a Candidate in Training with the South African Council for the Quantity Surveying Profession and she has recently enrolled with the University of Witwatersrand for Postgraduate Studies in Property.
Vuvu is inspired by people who have done well in the construction industry. She attributes her success to hard work, a willingness to learn and a positive attitude. Her advice to others is “Believe in yourself and pursue your goals with determination”. She quotes the recently departed entrepreneur and author Jim Rohn, saying “Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines practiced everyday“. From Vuvu’s story we can see that whilst providence may sometimes create the circumstances for success it is still hard work that pays off.