Online Reporter
MEET ZNCC BUSINESS WOMAN MIDLANDS
Mrs. Trish Makaka is a distinguished entrepreneur and the CEO and Co-founder of Heritage Housing Projects (pvt) ltd, a group of companies committed to addressing Zimbabwe’s housing deficit by providing affordable, high-quality housing solutions for low-income earners.
Since founding Heritage Housing Trust in 2011, later rebranded as Heritage Housing Projects (pvt) ltd in 2018, Mrs. Makaka has led the successful servicing of over 2600 residential stands, converting virgin land into fully developed communities equipped with water, sewer reticulation, and roads.
Among her most notable projects is the 389-hectare Goshen Park development, one of Zimbabwe’s largest self-sustaining projects in the Midlands province.
This project, which commenced in 2024, will provide 4500 residential, commercial, and industrial stands, along with water harvesting facilities, a solar park, and shopping malls. Mrs. Makaka’s other prominent achievements include the development of Rylands Estate A in Gweru, Daylsford Park Gweru, Ruwa Greensyke in Harare, the Grange of Toronto in Mutare, Mkoba 21 in Gweru, Umnganwini and Roxidale in Bulawayo, providing thousands of families with the opportunity to own quality homes.
Mrs. Makaka is an active member of several professional organizations, including the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce, Motivate Women’s Forum and the Empowered Women Trust and ZNCC. She is also a certified Organizational Development Consultant and a passionate advocate for women in the construction sector.
Despite facing gender discrimination in a male-dominated industry, Mrs. Makaka has proven herself as a capable and respected leader, inspiring other women through her motivational talks and mentorship programs.
In addition to her business achievements, Mrs. Makaka is dedicated to community service. She actively participates in the presidential cleanup campaign, shares her entrepreneurial journey with aspiring leaders, and provides essential donations to underprivileged children.
Her exceptional contributions to the industry and community have earned her numerous accolades, including the 2023 Women Entrepreneur of the year from SMEA, 2024 Construction Property Development Residential Award from Women in Project Management Zimbabwe, the Best Women Contractor award from She-Millionaire Africa’s Women Builders Awards, 2024 self-development award from SMEA, 2024 Women in project management -construction from Chartered institute of project managers Zimbabwe.
She is a Super Platinum winner Woman of the Year Award from the Zimbabwe CEO’s Network, a winner of the Forty Under 40 Africa awards under category Real Estate Development & construction and a recipient of the Top 100 Emerging Global Businesses 2025 from Leaders Without Borders Development Centre in Westminster, UK a 2025 winner of the 40 under 40 young project leaders in Zimbabwe from CIPMZ, 2025 winner of the 40 under 40 young business leader in Zimbabwe from IODZ, a recipient of Pan Africa youth Leadership Foundation- Africa 100 most influential young Africans held in Ghana.
She received the 2025 Outstanding CEO in Land development and affordable housing award from Zimbabwe real estate and construction summit.
She is the current 2025 provincial ZNCC Outstanding CEO in Land Development and Affordable housing. Mrs. Makaka’s leadership spans across various sectors, with a successful subsidiary Companies such as Heritage Plant and Truck Hire, Makuti Glitter-Stone Tiles, Healing
Hearts Funeral Services, Sensational Tradings Pty Ltd in Botswana and South Africa, cementing her as a prominent figure in Zimbabwe’s housing and construction landscape.
Bongani Ndlovu