Stars crown her years of hard work

WHEN Maria Nyawula decided to turn her Queenstown home into a guest house, all she had was a few empty rooms and a dream – there was not a cent in her purse.

Four years later Nyawula, 48, owns not just one, but two extremely busy guest houses – one of which was recently awarded a prestigious four-star grading by the Eastern Cape Tourism Board.

Her story reads like a classic rags to riches tale, but Nyawula had to overcome more than just financial troubles to become the success she is today.

A devastating fire, illness and repeated heartache could not stop this dynamo.

Nyawula‘s pain began when her policeman husband was shot in the neck during political unrest in 1994. With their breadwinner boarded, his wife and three children were left without an income.

“I had to start working so I started catering and sewing to make money, but then our house burned down while we were at church and we lost everything – including my sewing machine and catering equipment,” recalls Nyawula.

Worse was to follow when her 13-year-old daughter Sibongile was diagnosed with bone cancer and had her leg amputated.

“It was the worst time of my life. I could not work and on top of that my daughter was sick, so when I heard that people in Israel were looking for maids, I decided to go. It was hard work and I was worried about my daughter so I came back after four months.”

But her time in Israel paid off because she met Irish benefactors who agreed to fly her and Sibongile to Ireland for advanced cancer treatment.

“Just before I was meant to fly there with my child, home affairs took my passport away for a year because they said I was Nigerian, even though I am South African.”

A devastated Nyawula had to stay put in Queenstown, while her husband accompanied their ill daughter to Ireland.

With nothing to her name but an empty house and two children, a destitute Nyawula decided the only way she could make a living was to turn her home into a guest house.

“But I had nothing. No cups, no beds – nothing.”

Putting her pride aside, Nyawula simply asked stores for furniture, appliances and crockery – and they gave it to her on the promise she would pay them back one day.

“I went to Elco in East London and gave them a list of what I needed. It came to R52000 and when they asked me for a deposit I said I had nothing but that I would repay them when my guests started arriving.

“I did the same thing at a Lady Frere furniture shop and a hardware store in Queenstown. They all took a big chance when they gave me what I asked for, but now I have paid them all back!”

Her first guests at Milner House were 32 nurses who stayed for two nights and paid her R25000. “I had to really squash them in, but they loved my food.”

Nyawula had no advertising budget, but word of mouth brought in a steady stream of guests and soon she had extended her accommodation.

Before long, Milner House was bursting at the seams and when a pretty guest house in a farm-style setting came onto the market, the now credit-worthy entrepreneur secured a bond and waved her magic wand over Victoria Manor which has become even more popular than Milner House.

“I am full all the time and also have a conference venue. I am so happy to have been graded four stars. Now I will be building an extra 15 rooms and an auditorium and I thank everyone who believed in me and helping me to get where I am.”

Nyawula said when her husband and daughter – now recovered from both cancer and heart disease – arrived back from Ireland after four years they could not believe she had gone from nothing to a businesswoman with two guest houses and two cars.

weekendpost.co.za, 29 March 2008