The finalists for the third annual Women in Construction Awards have been announced with the awards evening set to take place at a Glamour Cocktail event, hosted by the African Construction and Totally Concrete Expo, next week.

The Awards acknowledges the increasing role of women in the industry and encourages individuals and companies to promote their work as well as providing an opportunity for those in the industry to come together to celebrate women.

Categories

The Awards are both individual and organisational. Individual categories are set to recognise women who are pioneers in innovation within the built environment, as well as identify “New Starters” – women under the age of 30 years – who through their efforts to date have been identified as women “to watch” as they get a foothold within the sector.

The organisational awards will acknowledge organisations which have stepped up and developed women’s roles through innovative training programmes as well showing their commitment to developing the careers of women in the industry.

Individual category finalists

Pioneer in Innovation Award:

1. Manana Khotseng, Director, Rehauwe Construction And Development, South Africa
2. Melanie Wituka, Managing Director, Suleco Company Limited, Kenya
3. Solange Ngandu Misengabu, Managing Director, Best Construct, Democratic Republic of Congo

New Starter of the Year – Under 30 Award:

1. Carmen Sharpe, Project Coordinator, Goal Projects, South Africa
2. Charne Matthews, CEO, MSHEQ Health and Safety Consultants, South Africa
3. Lentsu Mmako, Quantity Surveyor in Training, VSB Quantity Surveyors, South Africa

Organisational category finalists

Most Innovative Women Training Programme Award:

1. Gordon Institute of Business Science: The NHBRC Women Empowerment Programme, South Africa
2. Group Five Basadi Programme, South Africa
3. South African Women in Construction: Free State, South Africa

Excellence in Career Development Award:

1. Paragon Group: Architects/ Interiors, South Africa
2. Seda Construction Incubator, South Africa
3. Suleco Company Limited, Kenya

“We aim to honour and celebrate women and to advance their role in the industry across the continent, I am excited to see we have finalists not only from South Africa but also from Kenya and the DRC” said Award director Tanitha Jolly.

“The awards create visibility for women and those organisations supporting and shaping the role of women in the construction, cement and concrete industry,” concludes Jolly.