At the age of 13 she had already started running, running a household, running a restaurant, running a dressmaking business, running a hair braiding salon, running an all woman's theatre group, just running and running and running.

Gertrude Matshe, is this vibrant bundle of African energy, a human dynamo whose drive, zest and passion for life inspires everyone she meets.

Married and a mother of three, Getrude is an African story teller, a motivational speaker, poet, an artist, author and an entrepreneur and a founding director of three successful companies in New Zealand. Her ability to manifest her dreams into reality can only be described as the way of the Wizard Merlin; for she has the Midas touch and everything she touches turns to gold.