Citylife Business

By CITYLIFE BUSINESS Writer

An old proverb that it takes a village to raise a child seems to hold true for former domestic worker and businesswoman, Charity Tshuma. 

Now a successful businesswoman, she owns one of the famous beauty parlor businesses called Mangako Beauty & Health Spa. She further owns Mangako Beauty and Health Spa Academy that has branches in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Rustenburg. Through the academy, Tshuma does not train only young women who want to venture into this fast-growing industry but even empowers those who come from poverty-stricken backgrounds.  

Under her academy, Tshuma offers full time and part time courses in make-up, pedicure, manicure, massage, baking and caregiving. 

The beautiful and caring Tshuma also uses her academy to rehabilitate and open opportunities for girls who come from troubled backgrounds. Working with various organizations she gives recovering drug addicts, former prostitutes and former alcoholics a second chance in life. 

Born and bred in Plumtree near Botswana border in Zimbabwe, she came to South Africa when she was young looking for job opportunities. She worked in the Johannesburg suburbs as a maid. Having changed her life around, Tshuma now turns those who are willing to change into entrepreneurs and independent human beings who earn their own living.   

Some of the women she has assisted now work in Dubai while others work for big beauty companies around Gauteng. famous around Johannesburg. 

  “I have decided to assist others because beauty and spa courses are expensive. I struggled to get a certificate. A short course that I was doing took me years to finish because I did not have enough money. I had to persevere because I knew it was going to change my life.” 

She added: “Now, that I have the means to change other people’s situations, I decided to do so. Sometimes I pick these kids from netball and soccer tournaments that I host in disadvantaged areas. I get pleased when I see them changing their lives. There is one who recently bought a car to celebrate her 21st birthday. I took her in when she was 17 and she turned her life around.” 

Tshuma admits that working with people who have a troubled past has its own challenges. Over the years, she has learned to be patient when dealing with them and not being judgmental. 

“Some of the kids I work with come from broken homes where there is no law or rule. Some left good homes because of peer pressure to do all the wrong things. But when you sit them down, you understand that they also want a good life just like everyone else. One of the challenges is that those that become successful experience a lot of abuse from their boyfriends. Some end-up being killed by their boyfriends and husbands. I think the boyfriends feel threatened by their success.” 

“For me, I just want to see them empowered and be able to make their own living. That is why now I will add widows to the list. Those are the people who struggle to survive after losing their partners. I want to empower them through Mangako.” 

Tshuma, a mother, and wife and has been in the game for 15 years. She owns five branches in Soweto, Pretoria, Bramley, Fourways and the new one opened early this month in Rustenburg, north west. So far she has about 200 students who will graduate in six months when the course is completed. 

One of her students Vuyiswa Ndlovu, 22, who also comes from Zimbabwe met Tshuma during a netball tournament in 2019. 

“I had just finished my level form 6, it’s the same as Matric in South African education. She hosted a sport tournament in her hometown, Plumtree. I was the best player of the tournament that day. She was impressed with the way I played and asked me about my background and my plans. 

“I told her that l had finished school and was waiting for my results though I won’t be able to afford university. So, she offered me a scholarship. She took me to South Africa and enrolled me in her beauty school. And later on, she helped me to find a job.” 

The 22-year-old further said: “I would say she really changed my life and no words can describe the role she played in my life. Currently, I am working in Dubai as a beauty therapist. I would not be here where I am today if it was not for her.”