In honor of Women's Month 2024, we’re spotlighting the incredible women who make up 29% of the MTO Group’s 1169-strong team. It's a remarkable achievement in the historically male-dominated forestry industry, showcasing MTO’s commitment to genuine gender transformation.
Join us this Women's Month as we celebrate the inspiring Women of MTO.
“The first time I set foot on MTO plantations in Lottering was in 2017 as a second-year student forester at Nelson Mandela University. I was so nervous because I did not know what to expect, but the foresters welcomed me and were so gracious with me. They took me in and from the get-go treated me like a colleague whom they could teach, influence, and shape into the best forester that I could be at that time. I credit them for laying down the foundation of my forestry training.
In my third year of study, I got selected to compete in Moscow for the International Junior Forester Contest. My report and presentation were on my experiential year at MTO and how we were managing the burnt timber from the 2017 fires. I was the first NMU student and first African to win first place – the point I’m making is that when the opportunity came to speak on my forestry experience, I was proud and honored to speak on the brilliant work ethic, professionalism, and forestry culture that I experienced in my practical year. That’s the impact the foresters from Kruisfontein through to Longmore had on me, and I will forever be grateful for it.”
Upon completing her studies, Ntsako was offered a permanent position as a junior forester at MTO and has subsequently been promoted to a Senior Forester in the Kruisfontein plantation in Knysna. Her job entails planning and managing the silviculture team on a day-to-day basis with activities like planting; pitting; pruning; herbicide application and prescribed burning for soil preparation.
“Every day I work to push past my professional boundaries. I am working to expand and grow within the company to reach new heights. I am a resolute person and know that there is nothing that I cannot do or learn, so I apply myself as best as I can each day.”
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