The Sunday Mail
Veronica Gwaze
THIS Tuesday, Zimbabwe joins the rest of the world in celebrating International Women’s Day.
The globally recognised event celebrates the achievements of women across a variety of fields.
It further calls for action in achieving gender parity, raises awareness and funding for female-focused charities.
This year’s theme is “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow” and it is running with the hashtag #BreakTheBias –calling for a world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination.
Several women, among them Ruth Makuku, consider International Women’s Day and Women’s Month celebrations crucial annual events.
Going through their trials and tribulations, one would probably understand them.
When Makuku’s two siblings died in 2010, leaving behind a total of four minors under her care, finding a job to help her husband, Nicholas Chingosho, provide for the now ‘‘big’’ family became a top priority.
Makuku and her husband were, back then, already struggling to take care of their two minors.
Without five Ordinary Level passes or any form of qualification, the 39-year-old knew securing employment was going to be an uphill task.
However, she opted to stay optimistic.
Staying in Chitungwiza, she would wake up early in the morning and tour industrial sites in search of any form of work that could guarantee her some income.
Days passed into weeks with nothing coming her way.
The situation back home was not improving but getting worse with each passing moment.
Concerned residents advised her to try joining private security companies.
Makuku was fine with the idea but that was not the same case with her husband.
“As I unsuccessfully went job hunting in the industrial areas, concerned people advised me to consider being a security guard as there were better chances of being recruited. I went with the idea and automatically began to picture myself as one,” recalls Makuku.
“My husband was completely not for the idea. Initially, he thought I was not serious because that had never been an option. But, I had become determined.”
It was not easy for her to convince her husband otherwise.
The idea of night shifts or the possibility of coming face-to-face with robbers scared Chingosho the most.
But with little or no option due to the financial squeeze they were going through, he grudgingly agreed for her to apply.
A few months later, around 2011, she got employed as a security guard after going through some training.
Makuku said apart from the job being looked down upon, there were a few female guards during that time, which created myriads of challenges for her.
She tried to hang on but succumbed to societal pressure a year later leading to her resignation.
After that, she supplemented her studies and eventually obtained five Ordinary Levels in 2015.
However, instead of proceeding with studies or seeking a “better” job, she once again found herself clad in security guard fatigues.
This time around she was working for a different company.
“Things didn’t go well and I felt I was letting down the kids so I had to forget about the nasty things people were saying about me and the job. It was about the family not my personal worries,” said Makuku.
“The field was male-dominated and as a woman, I had to be mentally strong and focus on withstanding the pressure. I then joined Black Shark Protection Services.”
The journey was rocky for Makuku!
Talk of being deployed to terrifying sites or stomaching chauvinistic comments from male counterparts.
“I witnessed several women quit because of the hostile environment. One day, I got frustrated and decided to quit also. Surprisingly, it is my husband who talked me out of it this time around. He was beginning to see the passion I had developed for the job,” she narrated.
“The rough experience made me brave. I do not understand why most men view(ed) female security guards as people of loose morals. Probably this is the reason why most husbands do not want their wives to take night shifts.”
Through perseverance and hard work, Makuku rose through the ranks to occupy a managerial post.
She is now an Inspector stationed in Ruwa, the same neighbourhood she stays with her family.
Cognisant of the challenges she faced in the past, she has made it her mission to protect female security guards, particularly those in her organisation.
“I want them to feel safe. At times I take night shifts just to check on areas where women security details will be deployed. They do not have to go through what I experienced,” she vowed.
Makuku added that the recent spike in armed robbery cases and other gory crimes has not deterred her from working during odd hours.
“I have gained enough experience to deal with any situation. Instead of being scared, I feel it is my duty to protect the public,” she said.
“I have since improved my qualifications through taking a number of security courses. I now understand a lot about the job. Over the years, I have also noted that lust, greed and lack of honesty are not good for anyone offering security services.”
Makuku has created a perfect balance between her work and domestic chores. She easily covers for her husband who is often away with work.
When she is on the morning shift, her day starts at 5am when she wakes up, cleans and prepares for her school kids before going to work.
During her off days, she spends time studying.
Chingosho reckons his wife is a natural security person.
“I am proud of her. She managed to stand her ground and in the process achieved a lot. The journey has been tough.
“She has grown to be very particular about security. When home, she sometimes wakes up at night for random security checks,” he said.
