Aysha Gaffoor Richards builds ships by hand
Updated | By Beautiful News
Hard, physical labour is often seen as the domain of men. Aysha Gaffoor Richards always loved a challenge. Watch how she became one of South Africa’s few female boilermakers.
This is a man’s world. When women entered the workforce, roles of nurse or teacher were the only options, jobs considered for the soft and gentle. Aysha Gaffoor Richards always knew she wanted to be different.
Read: TV ads, international tours, and this golfer is just eight years old
When she chose her path, countless people told her she couldn’t, shouldn’t. It only fueled Gaffoor Richards further. She is now one of few women in a traditionally ‘male’ industry: shipbuilding.
Gaffoor Richards got her start as a boilermaker with an apprenticeship in 2012, and within two years she became a qualified artisan. Now, Gaffoor Richards builds ships from start to finish, her hands responsible for constructing a vessel’s entire skeleton. “To do my job you have to have a lot of courage,” she says. “You will come home with bruises and cuts and burns, but it’s all part of a day’s job.”
Read: I fought cancer while pregnant with twins
Gaffoor Richards has won awards for her work, and been named employee of the month. “I always felt like I had to prove myself to people so that they would not underestimate my capabilities,” she says.
Gaffoor Richards knows of only two other qualified female boilermakers, and she is often the only woman on a team. But her male colleagues provide her with support and motivation, respecting her knowledge and aptitude. As she makes advancements in the industry, Gaffoor Richards hopes to set a new standard for other women. Definitions and limitations are made to be undone.
Read: You don’t have to be good at just one thing
“There are more and more women doing groundbreaking things,” Gaffoor Richards says. “If we all work together as equals we can truly create something great.”
For this and other Beautiful News stories, click here.
Show's Stories
-
Behind the scenes at Kloof SPCA with Sumeran Govender
Durban YouTuber Sumeran Govender spent some time at the Kloof and Highwa...
Stacey & J Sbu 21 hours ago -
Mbali Nhlapho’s festive fly solution will save your summer
Flies taking over your summer? Beloved SA housekeeper Mbali Nhlapho’s fe...
Stacey & J Sbu 21 hours ago