Grace Angelina Bentil: Breaking Barriers as a Female Plumber and Painter in Ghana
Grace Angelina Bentil, popularly known as Big Mama, is a Ghanaian plumber and painter based in Kumasi, in the Ashanti Region. From an early age, Grace always aspired to work with her hands and be independent. She first enrolled at Kumasi Technical Institute (KTI), where she originally intended to study Electrical Engineering. However, after some advice and guidance, she shifted her focus to Plumbing — a field traditionally dominated by men.
Despite being one of the few women in her class, Grace excelled, gaining the respect of both her classmates and instructors. She pursued a four-year program specializing in Plumbing and Gas Engineering, though COVID-19 delayed her graduation slightly. While most men traditionally enrolled at KTI, Grace noted that discipline and the school’s environment had improved significantly by her time.
After graduation, Grace briefly worked with Ecobank, helping with registration duties. However, she soon realized her true passion lay in her skilled trade. She decided to fully commit to plumbing, supported by her brothers. Even while in school, Grace took care of herself financially by working part-time on sites, both plumbing and cleaning.
Today, she works with companies on various projects but also takes on her own private jobs. Many people are often surprised to see a woman plumber, but Grace has built a strong reputation. Initially, her parents were not in favor of her pursuing a technical skill, but now they are very proud of her achievements and independence.
Grace has opened her own shop and leads a small team. She acknowledges that working in a male-dominated industry comes with challenges — including dealing with inappropriate advances from some men on site. For safety, she ensures she is always accompanied when working in certain areas.
Among her female classmates, Grace is the only one still practicing plumbing professionally. Others have moved into different fields, like selling provisions. She believes that technical skills are essential today and encourages young people to pursue them instead of relying solely on office jobs, which are often hard to come by.
Grace also shares that young women should not depend on men for financial stability but rather work hard and build their own futures. She dreams of taking her skills abroad one day, inspired by a former boss who now works as a successful plumber in Ukraine.
Grace’s advice is clear: “Remove ‘I can’t’ from your mind. There is money in Ghana, but you must work hard and be determined to earn it.”
She shares her journey and work on social media under the handle @bigmama.
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