Mandy Kachingwe is a Ward Manager at one of our mental health inpatient wards at the Derwent Centre in Harlow.
For International Women’s Day on the theme of Inspire Inclusion (Friday 8 March), Mandy shares her story about her career journey and the women who inspire her.
From playing in a national volleyball team to becoming a nurse
I grew up in Zimbabwe. I enjoyed playing sport and specialised in volleyball. I was privileged to be part of the Zimbabwe Women’s National Team at the age of 15 and participated in the 6th All Africa Games, which were hosted by Zimbabwe in 1995.
I moved to the UK in 2002 and started my nursing career in 2003 when I enrolled onto the nurse training programme at Middlesex University. I qualified in 2007.
I have worked in various areas of healthcare, including nursing homes, working with people with learning disabilities, managing a supported living unit, and working in mental health care.
My journey with Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust began as an agency nurse in 2016. I joined on a permanent contract in 2020 as a Deputy Ward Manager.
By 2021 another opportunity came up for a Ward Manager and I went for it. I aspire to take on other roles when the opportunity arises as I value growth and development.
Women working in the NHS
Around 80% of the NHS workforce are women. We therefore make up the majority of the workforce. We are in a position of influence and must therefore take this seriously. We must lead by example in all the areas that we work in.
We need to be invested in our work by knowing the vision and goals of the NHS as a whole and the Trusts that we work for. This will enable us to work from a well-informed position of knowledge and understanding of the tasks at hand for each organisation.
As women, we have many characteristics: we can be confident and brave, enthusiastic, versatile, caring, understanding, empathetic, great at multi-tasking, excellent at listening, have great management skills, organise things and people really well, just to name a few.
The women I look up to
I have had several role models in my career and life but these are the main two.
My Mother
As a little girl, I remember my mother being that hardworking person who made sure I was always well fed, clean and dressed like a princess from head to toe. She would do my hair and made sure my Afro stood out.
She made me fall in love with singing. I still hear her sweet voice in my ears as I remember how she used to sing when I was distressed or whilst she was cooking for her family.
She has taught me how to pray and stand strong during all adversity.
She would smile and laugh even when things were not ok. She never let anything bring her down.
She took charge of our household and looked after seven children and our father. She is now a grandmother of eight and still going strong.
She made the best food and taught me how to do so. I am now a very good cook thanks to her.
I love to dress well, look good and maintain my Afro!
I look after all those around me and wish for them to become the best versions of themselves, just like my mother wished the same for me.
Dr Enour Guti
My religion means a lot to me. As a Christian, I have had numerous mentors and role models.
One of them is called Dr Enour Guti who is the wife of the founder of ZAOGA Forward in Faith Ministries, an international organisation which has touched the lives of many people in more than 166 nations.
Dr Eunor started off as what was termed a Higher Nurse in Zimbabwe in the 1960s. Her history and life to date is very inspirational as she was a very skilled nurse who later left her distinguished nursing career to immerse herself into Christian service.
She has lived her life as wife to a phenomenal personality and a minister of the Gospel spanning many decades. She has played a pivotal role of being a mentor and role model to many women and girls across many nations so they could become responsible and successful citizens and the best at all that they do.