Vino Govender never had a "dream job".
"For me it was a matter of surviving financially and I worked hard never to allow my son to feel the difficulties of poverty that I have experienced and to make his life as comfortable as I could‚" she said.
Since becoming a businesswoman‚ the managing director of LA Consulting Engineers‚ is not only loving what she does but is being recognised for it.
A New York-based non-profit organisation‚ which connects a global network of successful women business owners‚ this week announced that Govender is this year's recipient of the International Women's Entrepreneurial Challenge (IWEC) Foundation Award.
Margaret Hirsch‚ co-founder of the multi-million rand appliance and electronic retail organisation Hirsch‚ nominated Govender for the award after she was named KwaZulu-Natal Women in Business overall winner.
The IWEC foundation‚ which represents influential businesswomen from the world’s most important emerging and established regions‚ praised Govender's company for supporting sustainable social development and upliftment with a particular focus on education in the science and engineering field.
Govender said it was an honour to be recognised among a high level of successful businesswomen.
"Professionally it means I am able to connect with more people on a bigger scale nationally and internationally and as a result‚ I am able to‚ help more people‚ create positive change on a bigger and greater scale‚" she said.
Govender will travel to Washington in November to receive her award.
Known for her many charitable endeavours in the province‚ Govender is also the only KwaZulu-Natal finalist in a local justice pageant that judges entrants on their commitment to reduce the crime culture by promoting morality in the country.
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