Meet an Inspirational KFC Woman: Anita Sahoo

At KFC, we are marking International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month by celebrating the thousands of women across our business who inspire and motivate us to be our best selves, make a difference, and have fun. Over the course of the month, we will be sharing profiles of a (very) small sampling of these inspirational KFC women. Today, we introduce you to Anita Sahoo.

What is your role at KFC?

I am part of the marketing team for Greater Asia. As the Senior Brand Manager – Brand, e-Commerce and Social Purpose, my key role is to make the brand culturally relevant and distinctive for the markets that I work with (Japan and Mongolia).

What women have inspired you?

Writer Amrita Pritam who was one of the first feminist writers that India had. In Amrita’s works, one finds defiant women protagonists who strive to break free from the prescriptive social norms imposed by a patriarchal setup, as also a candid exploration of the feminine. She strove to give women an identity and voice that went beyond conventional narratives. And most importantly, she lived her life vividly, and on her own terms.  (My daughter is named Amrita after her)

In my work for addHOPE in India, I had the privilege and honour to meet Ms. Shobha Murthy, who runs an NGO called Aarambh on the outskirts of Mumbai, for the children of daily wagers and sex workers. Her institution provides not just food to these children, but also a safe place that keeps them off the streets. Along with meals that KFC sponsors, Ms. Murthy and her team provide these children coaching, vocational training and even help them with scholarship applications for private schools and colleges. Her dedication and perseverance to breaking the cycle of poverty make her my hero!

What does International Women's Day mean to you?

If we ignore the token pink cookies and the “pink sales” that brands shower upon us, I think IWD forces conversations about women's achievements and global gender inequality into the mainstream. It is a time to be grateful for all the brave women before us who stood up for change. It is also a time to reflect on what future we want to create for our daughters.