Shameem Kumandan: from backyard laundry to national success

WHEN entrepreneur Shameem Kumandan started her laundry business, it was out of necessity, not ambition. With little more than a washing machine, a repurposed family car, and the support of her family, she printed pamphlets and delivered orders door-to-door. 

Today, that humble backyard operation has grown into a nationally-recognised enterprise employing around 60 people, partnering with schools, washing sports kits, and even providing sanitary towels and life skills training for schoolgirls.

Kumandan moved into a custom-designed facility, installed large-scale industrial equipment, and won multiple industry awards.

Her journey, marked by grit, resourcefulness, and resilience, is now one of 100 stories captured in a new book launched at the WomX Women in Business Conference in Sandton.

The book, Her Story, Her Success, curated by WomX founder Jayshree Naidoo, documents the barriers women entrepreneurs face, from difficulty accessing markets and funding, to unpaid family responsibilities. This includes the endless hours women spend cooking, cleaning, and taking care of their children or elderly relatives.

These "invisible" responsibilities often leave little time for them to grow a business, attend networking events, or to pitch for contracts. The book also highlights the breakthroughs that take place when those barriers are lifted. The stories tell how women-owned businesses are powering growth, creating jobs, driving digital transformation, and leaving a legacy for the next generation.

 “As an Indian Muslim woman in a white, male-dominated industry, I often faced bias and exclusion,” Kumandan recalls.

“But success isn’t about where you start, it’s about the values you live by, the lives you uplift, and the courage to keep building despite the odds.”

Naidoo said stories like Kumandan’s proved the real impact of women-owned businesses.

“Women are driving change in new and innovative ways”, she said.

“What they need more than anything is access to markets, practical development, and mentors who walk with them until their confidence becomes readiness for even bigger spaces, and their readiness translates into economic impact.”

The launch of Her Story, Her Success comes against a sobering backdrop. While South African women are more likely than men to start a business, they remain less likely to access the capital, networks, or procurement opportunities needed to scale.

The WomX Accelerator programme has already shown what’s possible when those barriers are removed: structured digital training and adoption boosted participants’ revenue by 92%, collectively creating more than 150 jobs.

For Naidoo, the vision is clear: “We want young women to see themselves in these pages and to believe their ambitions matter. These stories prove that when women are given a fair chance, they don’t just survive, they thrive, building communities and shaping the future of South Africa’s economy.”

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