Engineering is said to be the most male-dominated field in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). Women are often under-represented in the academic and professional fields of engineering, however, many females have contributed to the diverse fields of engineering historically and currently.

Like 25-year-old Enatha Cyuzuzo, for example, who runs her own engineering company—Ela Poder Construction Company. She does architecture, engineering and related technical consultancy. She constructs roads, does demolition, rehabilitation, construction, installation and site preparation. And on top of this, she sells hardware and construction materials, plumbing and heating equipment.

Her company is on the edge of success depending on the numerous construction projects she has so far brought to completion.

Some of her employees working on-site. 

And as a proud CEO and civil engineer, Cyuzuzo is happy to see her dream unfolding and heading in a promising direction. But this is not how it started.

When coronavirus hit last year, Cyuzuzo was working for a certain firm but later lost her job. She didn’t know what to do next, but she wasn’t one to sit around. She started selling tiles and was paid Rwf5,000 a day. This was little money but it was better than nothing, she says.

Later, she started approaching people, and offering to lay tiles for their buildings.

"I finally met a woman who offered me a job. She was inspired to see a young girl who had the confidence to run around entering shops asking for work,” she recalls.

That was the beginning of a series of clients including the one for her very first big construction project.

Cyuzuzo ensures to develop her projects uniquely. 

"As I worked on my tiles project, a client approached me seeking advice on what he would do with his plot because he seemed to find it hard to start construction. I instantly knew that was chance for a breakthrough. I promised to help him with construction, of course that was going to be my first big project (someone’s residential building), but I promised to build him the house of his dreams,” she narrates.

She was pleased to see someone trust her with such a big project. But she was now nervous and worried, wondering if she was going to live up to her client’s expectations.

"I couldn’t sleep, I was thinking of how I was going to do it and not disappoint him. I worked hard; you can’t imagine I was the site manager, forewoman and everything else technical because I couldn’t afford to trust this with anyone. I did everything I could and gladly, the final product turned out well.”

Cyuzuzo says she realises how clients are sometimes afraid to hire private contractors, and understood the challenge she was setting herself up for when she opened up her company. 

Going by how much she likes civil engineering and construction, she knew that as long as she worked wholeheartedly, she was going to make it in one way or another.

Being a woman in a ‘man’s world’

On different occasions, the engineer says she has had to deal with fellow contractors (mostly men) who tend to harass her by giving her discouraging comments that question her abilities. 

"I used to feel so discouraged and always wondered how I was going to overcome this stressful situation that I was supposed to live every day! But I have learnt to ignore and focus on my objective,” Cyuzuzo says. 

Regardless of what happens, she knows she is supposed to stand on her two feet and ensure her projects succeed.

Her other challenge has been finding smart technicians to work with. This, she says, made it so hard, especially in the beginning where responsibilities were so many, and it was hard for her to manage to fix them all. 

The young engineer at one of her sites.

Securing clients also doesn’t come easy, as she has come to learn, especially during the rainy season. "You can spend months without a job but in that waiting period, I deal with software, doing architect designs to expand my skills,” Cyuzuzo says.

Lessons learnt 

Losers are those who are always afraid of making the first step, Cyuzuzo has come to realise.

"I always had fear of starting because I thought I would fail, and I had no money to start with! Also I had fear of being responsible for each and every part of a project. Now I know that taking risks and going for something really works. I know how it feels to wake up with no project to work on but still hope for one to come by,” Cyuzuzo narrates.

She shares that people shouldn’t worry about what others will say, or their negative comments, noting that naysayers will always abide but you don’t have to be discouraged.

One of her completed projects  

"Focus on what you do and let your work speak for you. When you do what you are supposed to do with love, with all your ability, you will definitely get far.”

One of her strategies for an outstanding and exceptional project is to ensure she works and develops her projects uniquely. "The level of love and passion I feel when I am carrying out a project, the respect and intention, is what gives me drive. Also, hard work and being honest is key when I am doing someone’s project. I do what I love and I do it wholeheartedly.”

Cyuzuzo hopes to venture into real estate where she will come up with designs, construct houses and commercial buildings that she will sell as finished projects, that’s her dream for the coming years.

You can reach Cyuzuzo on 0786681640