Matshego Brenda Moduka was born and raised in Bloemfontein, South Africa, where she finished her matric at 17 years old. However, at 19 years old, she became a teenage mother and had to drop out of university to take care of her son. Despite this setback, Matshego remained resilient and began doing odd jobs, including domestic work, to provide for her son. In 2002, she received her first job opportunity as an Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) Level 1, 2, and 3 Numeracy and Literacy facilitator in a training environment. She went on to work in a popular hospital in Welkom, Free State, before moving to Port Elizabeth to train at St Albans Prison.
Matshego founded Atlega for Woman Projects Enterprise in December 2016, a registered and accredited training company that focuses on empowering women with skills to improve their livelihoods. Atlega is accredited with Merseta, ServicesSeta, ETDP Seta, and Agriseta and provides a range of services, including welding, Production Technology, Labour Relations, Crop Production, Animal Production, Mixed Production, and entrepreneurship training.
When asked about her favorite community organization, she mentioned Yokhuselo Haven, an organization close to her heart that helps women who have had difficulties rebuild their lives from scratch. She admires the resilience of these women, who have an attitude of survival of the fittest.
As a female leader in a male-dominated industry, Matshego has faced challenges, including building credibility by association and competition from well-established companies. However, she has learned to network and build relationships while staying true to her vision.
For Matshego, reliable employees are critical for a small business to succeed. She believes that it's important to identify each team member's strengths and support them in excelling in their performance.
Matshego's organization highlights include completing various incubation programs, such as the Propella Incubation program, Standard Bank Basali program, and SAB Tholoana Enterprise Development program. These programs helped Matshego's business in compliance, financial management, and funded the organization with equipment and resources worth more than R500,000.
Matshego praised the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber for its role in connecting local businesses and building networks. She mentioned that the Chamber provides a platform for businesses to collaborate and support each other, and highlighted the importance of networking in growing one's business. She also mentioned that the Chamber provides resources and training to help businesses thrive, and encouraged other entrepreneurs to get involved with the organization.
Before we wrap up, when not working on your organization, what do you do to keep sane? "I enjoy spending time outdoors and engaging in physical activities. I also, enjoy reading and learning new things, including attending events that will benefit my journey ".
Ultimately, Matshego's resilience, determination, and passion for empowering women have been critical to her success as a leader. She is an inspiration to many, and her story demonstrates that with hard work and perseverance, anyone can overcome their obstacles and achieve their dreams.