​The 34-year-old Maseleswe Phadi from Small Farm near Evaton has beaten all odds and she is now a hair salon owner.
Phadi started Mase’s Hair Salon in 2013 after she lost her mother, and with the money she makes fixing peoples hair she has been able to put food on the table.

“I have never had any formal job since I finished my grade 12 in 2008, and I use the money from the salon to look after my two children and my brother”, she said.

Like any other child growing up in the township after completing grade 12 in 2008 she did not have the funds to further her studies. Phadi said when she started hairdressing, she had no idea it would motivate her to start her own business. “When I started, I did not know that it would be something that I can survive on, I did not have any experience of running a business, it was not easy”.

Before running her own salon, Phadi said she acquired life skills program and an End-User Computing certificate through Bokamoso Skills and Information Centre in 2011, the organization funded by Gauteng Department of Social Development.

“Bokamoso changed my life, they exposed us to many things especially business related.”

She praised Bokamoso saying the centre is making a lot of impact changing many lives of young people in their communities. She revealed that it is through Bokamoso that she bagged a learnership of Enzi Hair and Beauty Institute, where Phadi is currently receiving training of becoming a professional hairdresser. The training is also SETA accredited.

“I am currently doing NQF L2, and so far, I have learned tremendous things on how to treat a client in an appropriate manner and to pay attention to one’s skin as we have different skin types. Moreover, I want to further my studies in hairdressing so I can be equipped with the knowledge of hair because it’s more than just hair. For me, hair is my life”.

Phadi said her incredible journey of starting her own business demonstrates the power of determination, hard work, and passion.

“When we lost our parents, we were young and I didn’t know what to do, but I always had a passion of hairstyling and beauty, so I decided to hairdressing friends, and they would pay me, and we were surviving out of that money”.

Looking at her current stance in life, Phadi is proud of the achievements she has accumulated and to further her business she’d like to be able to work in an environment that supplies running water and electricity.

“Getting funds to relocate my business will give me the opportunity to grow and create working opportunities for my fellow brothers and sisters.”