Startup Story
Mendy Lerato Lusaba is a social entrepreneur and a decent work advocate with special interest in the domestic work sector. She is the founder of Chris and Geo Placements a domestic placement agency based in Zimbabwe. Chris and Geo recruits and places marginalised and economically disadvantaged persons as domestic workers. To date, she has placed over 2000 workers whilst impacting over 4000 families. Mendy also runs a team of 19 contract domestic workers. She is also the founder of the Domestic Workers Association of Zimbabwe a network of Zimbabwean domestic workers working in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and United Arab Emirates. DWAZ runs the first domestic worker training centre in Zimbabwe offering trainings in housekeeping, cooking and baking, gardening and care work. They also have a domestic worker netball team for the mental health of domestic workers.
LoA chatted to the inspirational and impact driven Mendy Lerato Lusaba this month to learn more about what drives her to make a difference in the lives of others.
When did your start your business?
I first started the business in 2021 when I had my first child and had challenges with domestic workers. That is when I realized there is a gap in the industry as it was not easy to find a domestic worker when you needed one. I ventured into the business full-time in 2018. Today, the business employs 20 people.
“Our vision is to be the first choice domestic placement agent in the country and to be in every town in Zimbabwe.“
“Our vision goes beyond Zimbabwe as we know there is a huge out-flux of Zimbabweans and we know they want someone who can cook Zimbabwean food for them whilst outside the country.”
What does your company do?
We recruit and place domestic workers. We also have part-time domestic workers available for part-time contracts.
What inspired you to start your company?
My personal experiences. When I had my first child, I struggled with getting the “perfect” domestic worker. In a space of 6 months, I had changed workers four times! I realized that it was very difficult to get the perfect worker when you needed them. Upon further research, I discovered I was not alone as the majority of working women were struggling to get household helpers on time. I also realized that there were also so many women who needed jobs as domestic workers but did not know where to start. Coupled with my background in Human Resources Management, I realized I could provide a solution. I simply had to bridge the gap between the employers and the employees, hence the birth of Chris and Geo. Chris and Geo is a registered employment agency which specializes in domestic work.
Why should anyone use your service or product?
Our services are special because we serve a niche market hence we give our full attention to the sector. We also offer personalized services as we believe each case is unique. We also offer after sale service and follow up on our clients to check on the placements. Our greatest advantage is our partnership with DWAZ as we go a step further to train our workers. Before any placement, we also do an induction training at the DWAZ Center as we prepare the domestic worker for placement. We are also concerned about the domestic workers we work with and ensure they become the best they can be.
Tell us a little about your team
We have 19 part-time ladies who are employed by us but are contracted to our clients. We have 1 full time placement officer, a part-time media and accounting persons and we also work with the training officer form DWAZ.
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
I do not come from an entrepreneurial background and I am the first entrepreneur in the family. However, I work with both my brothers and I consider my older brother as my mentor. My younger brother also supports me in the business as he also did Human Resources Management like me and always has one or two words to say to me every time. Once in a while, when I need help on the ground, he is available. My father (RIP) was my greatest cheerleader and supported me all the way. His support was not financial but it was his genuine love for me and the belief in my work. My mother on the other hand is another story. She is the practical one in the family and believed that I needed to get educated, employed, and enjoy a full salary. When i quit the corporate world, she made sure she would forward me every HR vacancy that she saw. She even tasked my youngest brother to make sure I applied for jobs. She told every relative whom she could, that I was looking for a job. It was only when she started seeing me on tv, read about me in the newspapers and when I started traveling abroad that she became convinced that I was doing something sensible. Today, she is one of my biggest supporters. My husband was also like my mother and at first did not understand my work. Today he does regular bedroom board meetings with me about Chris and Geo. My two children, 8 and 10 years, love going to work with mama and my 10 year old has a sharp business mind. He can sell and is very business minded. The boy even charges to do his own household chores.
“We want to be able to officially export labour and have Zimbabwean domestic workers working for Zimbabweans outside Zimbabwe so that they can have a ‘home’ experience at home.”
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
Our vision is to be the first choice domestic placement agent in the country and to be in every town in Zimbabwe. Our vision goes beyond Zimbabwe as we know there is a huge out-flux of Zimbabweans and we know they want someone who can cook Zimbabwean food for them whilst outside the country. We want to be able to officially export labour and have Zimbabwean domestic workers working for Zimbabweans outside Zimbabwe so that they can have a ‘home’ experience at home.
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
Firstly, it is the freedom that comes with being an entrepreneur. I personally hate routine and that made corporate HR work a bore for me. With running a business, every day is different and that is very motivating. You are actually looking forward (or not!) to waking up and seeing what the day has in store for you. However, my greatest perk for me is the impact I bring into people’s lives especially the domestic workers. The ability to create employment and the joy that comes with it I cannot exchange for anything. Being told that the children are now back in school, how the medical bills have been paid and even seeing the domestic workers build their own homes from the 'low' wages. I am transforming the sector in Zimbabwe and beyond and that is my greatest joy.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
Just do it!
Contact or follow Chris and Geo Placements
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | EMAIL ulerato@live.com
Why LoA loves it…
Making a difference in the lives of others is what drives so many women entrepreneurs, and for Mendy Lerato Lusaba, it was making opportunities happen for domestic workers and creating access to decent work. Her business model today is a real win-win, placing domestic workers with customers who need their services. Her vision and success today means she now has her eyes set on even bigger markets and goals in the future, and she certainly has the passion and drive to make those goals a reality. — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa