Building on their award-winning International Women’s Day campaign in March this year, KFC have turned their focus inward this Women’s Month to celebrate the incredible stories of the South African women that make up 60% of their 40,000 strong workforce.
The campaign highlights the ‘firsts’ of real-life women and the humble steps they have taken in their everyday lives to overcome obstacles and empower themselves and their families, with the overarching message to continue to foster a more equitable and inclusive workplace to allow more women to flourish.
“As a woman who has personally experienced the determination required to advance in one’s career, I am deeply moved by the stories of our female firsts at KFC – whether it be obtaining a degree, building a home, or attaining management roles. It is crucial that we hold our organisations to the highest standards to ensure that all women have the support they need to continue to shatter glass ceilings, regardless of their workplace and the position they hold” said Nolo Thobejane, KFC Africa Chief People and Transformation Officer.
We’ve come a long way since the march against the Urban Areas Act in 1956, however true equality has yet to become entrenched within modern society. We still encounter hundreds of thousands of women that are still struggling to reach the next level, but even the smallest words of encouragement can be the turning point for them to break free.
“We were overwhelmed with so many incredible stories, each one incredibly humbling and inspirational that reflect the realities of how far women have come, but also how far we still have to go to truly live in an equitable society,” said Thobejane.
We share just a few of the stories below with a link through to the full 23 featured. (Please also find attached the other stories)..
- Florence Molefe is the first woman in her family to have the means to educate her daughter, who is studying Health Sciences at North University, using her hard work to build the future generation of women.
- Nandipha Ndeya is the first woman in her family to pass matric and the first to set foot in a technical college. When she started working, she was the first to give her parents financial relief and support her family, including providing an education for her siblings.
- Dr Mikaela de Villiers is the youngest ever female recipient of a PhD in Media Studies from Rhodes University, awarded to her at age 25 where she completed her degree.
Visit https://purpose.kfc.co.za to view the full list of KFC’s own female firsts available on 09th August 2024.
Email za-kfcafricamedia@yum.com to nominate female firsts for KFC 2025 International Women’s Day campaign.
About KFC Africa
KFC has been in South Africa for over 53 years and has more than 1,300 stores across the continent. The first KFC restaurant in South Africa opened in 1971 in Orange Grove, Johannesburg. KFC is the leading quick-service restaurant brand in South Africa with just under a third of market share, according to Brand Image Tracker. KFC serves more than 20 million customers a month and we work hard to ensure that no matter which of our restaurants they walk into, they will get that distinctive KFC flavour and have a great experience. KFC’s Original Recipe® Chicken was first made by Colonel Harland Sanders in 1940 when he perfected his secret recipe of 11 herbs and spices at his restaurant in Kentucky. Today, KFC is the world’s most popular chicken restaurant, still preparing our chicken with the Colonel’s secret recipe to his exact standards. Every KFC restaurant follows the same global processes and procedures to ensure that our customers get great-tasting food, every time.
KFC Socials:
Instagram – @kfcsouthafrica – https://www.instagram.com/kfcsouthafrica/
Facebook – @KFCSA – https://facebook.com/KFCSA
TikTok – @kfcsa – https://www.tiktok.com/@kfcsa
X – @KFCSA – https://twitter.com/kfcsa
YouTube – @KFCSouthAfrica – youtube.com/@KFCSouthAfrica
