At 22, Esethu Khumalo is building more than furniture. With a drill in one hand and a university degree within reach, she is challenging long held assumptions about who belongs in the carpentry industry.

A final year Development Studies student at the University of Mpumalanga, Khumalo is juggling lectures, assignments and examinations while running her own growing business, Esethu Woodworks.

Originally from Umlazi in Durban, KwaZulu Natal, she now lives in Mbombela, Mpumalanga, where she operates her business.

Her journey into carpentry began in January 2026, when she enrolled in a training programme at the Umalume Wamakhabethe training centre.

Just a month after completing the programme, Khumalo took a leap of faith and launched Esethu Woodworks.

The decision was about more than starting a business. She wanted to challenge the perception that manual trades belonged primarily to men.

“I wanted to challenge the belief that manual trades like carpentry are meant for men only,” she said.

Starting With R4,000 and a Determination to Grow

Khumalo did not have an expensive workshop or a collection of advanced machinery when she started.

She had approximately R4,000 in capital and a willingness to learn.

She used the money to purchase essential materials and gradually invested in equipment as the business began attracting customers. Among her purchases were a drill and a compressor.

Rather than spending every rand she earned, Khumalo chose to put her profits back into the business.

“I have been reinvesting my profits back into the business to build it up bit by bit,” she said.

That approach has allowed Esethu Woodworks to grow gradually while giving Khumalo the opportunity to improve her technical skills along the way.

From Small Decor to Her First Major Project

The business initially focused on smaller decorative and furniture pieces.

For Khumalo, starting small was an important part of the journey. Each project helped her develop her woodworking abilities while building the confidence to take on increasingly ambitious work.

Then came a significant milestone.

She recently completed her first large scale project, a custom TV stand.

After working primarily on smaller items, the project presented a new test of her skills and determination.

Successfully completing it gave her a sense of achievement that went beyond the finished piece of furniture.

“Completing it successfully made me feel incredibly proud,” she said.

For a young entrepreneur still building her reputation, the project also represented something larger: proof that she could compete in an industry where women are often overlooked.

‘One of the Biggest Challenges Is Being Underestimated’

Breaking into a traditionally male dominated trade has not been without obstacles.

Khumalo said some people have questioned her abilities and credibility because she is both young and a woman.

“One of the biggest challenges is being underestimated sometimes because I am a young woman,” she said.

But instead of allowing those doubts to define her business, she has turned them into motivation.

“I use this as motivation to prove that I am capable of delivering excellent quality work,” she said.

Her response is reflected in the way she approaches the business: learn, improve, deliver and allow the quality of the work to speak for itself.

Social Media Helps Build the Business

While her tools are traditional, Khumalo has embraced digital platforms to grow her customer base.

She uses TikTok, Facebook and Instagram to showcase her work, reach potential customers and build awareness around Esethu Woodworks.

The online presence has helped her generate income while continuing with her university studies.

However, running a business alongside a degree requires discipline.

Khumalo has to manage university assignments, customer orders and social media content while ensuring that neither her education nor her business suffers.

For her, time management has become as important as woodworking itself.

A Young Woman Building Against South Africa’s Youth Unemployment Crisis

Khumalo’s story comes against the backdrop of South Africa’s persistent youth unemployment crisis.

According to Statistics South Africa data cited in the original report, 39.2% of young women aged between 15 and 24 were not in employment, education or training during the first quarter of 2026. The figure represented a 1.7 percentage point increase compared with 2025.

The challenge has increased the importance of skills development, entrepreneurship and access to opportunities for young people, particularly women seeking careers outside traditionally female dominated sectors.

Organisations such as South African Women in Plumbing and Trades are also working to encourage more women to enter skilled trades through training, mentorship and business support.

Khumalo’s journey reflects that wider push to change perceptions around skilled work and create opportunities where traditional employment may be difficult to find.

Her Ambition Goes Beyond Esethu Woodworks

Khumalo is not planning to stop at a small workshop.

Her long term vision is to transform Esethu Woodworks into a major enterprise equipped with advanced machinery and operating from a larger commercial workshop.

But perhaps the most important part of her ambition is what she wants the business to do for other young women.

She hopes to eventually hire and train young women who face socio economic barriers to employment, giving them the opportunity to develop practical skills and build careers in the trades.

In that sense, her business is becoming more than a source of income. It is also becoming part of her vision for creating opportunities for others.

‘Start Where You Are’

For other young women considering careers in industries dominated by men, Khumalo’s message is direct.

“Do not let the fact that an industry is male dominated stop you. Start where you are, learn, make mistakes, and keep improving.”

At 22, Khumalo is still at the beginning of her journey. She is completing a university degree while building a business from the ground up.

But every piece of furniture she makes carries a message that reaches beyond the workshop: women do not need permission to enter industries where they have historically been underrepresented.

Sometimes, all it takes is the courage to pick up the first tool and start building.

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