Baobab Ridge helped her find her

hidden potential

It's hard to miss Baobab Ridge's Lodge Administrator, Minkhenso Priviledge Mkasi because of her dazzling smile and sunny personality as she greets guests at Baobab Ridge. She seems perfectly at home and in her element, so it's strange to learn that tourism was not the first career choice for this bubbly and uber-efficient rising star!

Born and raised in the small village of Cottondale in nearby Acornhoek, the young Khenso, as she is known, spent her primary school years at home, moving to Hoedspruit Indepedent College for her high school years, where she completed matric in 2016. From there, she chose the law as her career goal, attending Vaal University of Technology where she studied labour law, gaining her diploma in record time two years later.

She added on an additional year to get her degree in labour relations, leaving university in 2020 ready to take on the world. Before getting a job in her chosen career she agreed to help her father with his guest house for a while, which is where the seeds of a career in tourism were first sown...

"Although I was a receptionist, because it was a family business I helped with all of the jobs a busy guest house presents - doing housekeeping, laundry, front of house - you name it, I did it," laughs Khenso. "I didn't know it at the time but I got a good grounding in what it takes to run a tourism establishment, so when I left in December 2021 and came home to consider my future, I found myself intrigued by the prospect of a career in tourism."

So, when the opportunity came to work at Baobab Ridge, Khenso jumped at the chance. "I thought 'let's give this a try' and started out as a waitress, learning all I could, and after eight months magic happened and I was promoted to front of house and stock control, which is what I am doing now!

"It's been an amazing transition and I am loving it. My father was sceptical at first, but when he saw the photos of wildlife and the lodge I was uploading on to my social media pages he realised I had done the right thing, and he decided to follow suit, purchasing an open safari vehicle and employing guides to offer full-day tours into the Kruger National Park. He says I inspired him and is loving this new side to his business."

Now 27 years old and the mother of a four-year-old daughter, Khenso is a family girl at heart. "I have an elder brother who's 28, and a younger sister of 25, and my last-born brother who's just 17! My mom looks after my daughter for me. I love spending time with them all during my leave each month - we work a rotation of 21 days on and seven days off. And my daughter and I spend time on WhatsApp every day." 

Taking the leap of faith in tourism is something Khenso is very proud of. "I started from the ground up in my tourism career and am so grateful for the experience I have had as a result. I really understand things and am so grateful to Baobab Ridge for the opportunities I have been given. The Baobab Ridge team, and the owners Nini and Brandon, have made me what I am today. They are my second family."

Her hard work and commitment have been rewarded with her recent promotion to Lodge Administrator, something Baobab Ridge owner Nini Gouveris feels is well deserved:  "Kenso has grown immensely in the short time she has been with us. Even though she was a waitress, being so reliable at work and knowing she had computer experience, I felt she would easily learn how to use our stock and reservations systems, so we trained her in the office. She has been a huge asset in the office and has shown to be forward thinking and very capable of finding solutions for problems that arise. We feel her strength is in administration and foresee her going much further in the future," says Nini.

What does the future hold for Khenso? "Perhaps I may move into management, who knows? But for now I am so happy. I had hidden potential I didn't know about, but Baobab Ridge saw it and helped me fulfil it. I love tourism so much. 

"I love meeting people from all over the world and learning about them and their different countries. I would like to further my learning with a tourism course, or perhaps even a guiding course, so I can know more about the wilderness around us here in the Klaserie. There are no limits here, which is what makes this place so special."