“A true entrepreneur does not delegate and remain behind without taking part in the task. Determination, commitment, team work and proper planning will obviously pave your way to the top.” So says Morongwa Margareth Madima (38), the current winner of the Best Emerging Entre-preneur Category of the annual Musina Municipality Mayoral Excellence Awards.

When the book of Musina legendary achievers is written, her name will appear in a special chapter. The reason is simple - the hardworking community builder has gone beyond anyone’s expectations and sacrificed her life for the development of her own community.

As part of her poverty-eradication initiatives, Madima has provided 25 formerly unemployed people with job opportunities. She has also adopted a 15-year-old indigent child and she is taking care of all her basic and educational needs.

Despite her busy and demanding schedule, Madima shuffles be-tween her roles as a farmer, undertaker and restaurant owner.

Asked about her award as the Best Emerging Entrepreneur, Madima says: “As a leader, I only give directions, rather than command my fellow workers. This is only through their unending support that I have found myself winning this award. However, I make sure that I do not procrastinate when doing my work, and I also stick to my work plan with all the effort and determination required. I have always told myself since my youth that I am the best and I always strive to be the best performer whenever I’m doing my work. Although I am not doing this for any special recognition, I feel very happy because there is nothing more rewarding than being honoured by your own people while you are still alive.”

For all these achievements, Madima attributes her successes to all her staff members who worked as a team, although, at times, a lot of pressure mounts in the work situation. “We work as a team because we know that success follows hard work and dedication is the only recipe for outstanding achievement. Above all, we will never forget to thank our communities out there because, without their cooperation and support, our dreams could have been never realized.”

Madima said her success did not come easily and she encourages other women to wake up and be ambassadors of their own communities. Born in Musina, she matriculated at Musina High School in 1988. She then held several positions at Musina Municipality’s finance department, which includes cashier, clerk and supervisor from 1989 until she ventured into business on her own in 2005.