"My name is Mandla Shongwe. Mandla means 'Strength' in English. I usually say that my name is not for lazy people. I am 49 years old and I stay with my wife (39), my son Siyabonga (18), my daughter Hlengiwe(16) and son Mayibongwe(1). I like having a baby because I love kids. She is a lot of work because he is so active
This is a God-fearing family and we do farming and building. And we like jokes. My favorite joke is when I am hungry I call lunch ‘happy hour’. I shout it to everyone, ‘HAPPY HOUR!’!
I walk 2 hours from my homestead to work every morning, and 2 hours back every evening. Every morning when I go to work I feel excited because of the marvelous team I am working with. I don’t regret it at all. I motivate myself every morning telling myself I need to get to the jobsite - I need to get there because I want to see these needy people living in good houses. I find working for Abide Well to be a very good job. I like to give a hand to needy people. It is a great job. It is helping the needy people feel comfortable in their houses. When I am walking and see them in their house I am happy that I put a hand there. Some people - their houses are leaking and not good for staying in. But this job, it allows them to be at home. The houses we are building are very, very strong. And the blocks we are using are very strong. Strong like a stone. Even if you throw them down they won't break."
