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Global★On International Women's Day, Fulfilling the Dream of South Africa's First Female Pilot
In conjunction with International Women's Day on March 8, U.S. financial services company Western Union helped a young South African woman realize her dream of becoming a pilot. This initiative is part of the "Chain of Betters" charity project, a public recruitment campaign launched by the company in November 2015. McGarryBowen, a subsidiary of Dentsu Inc. Aegis Network, produced the campaign video.
Even in 2016, 95% of pilots worldwide are men. The video "This is Beating the Odds" features Siba Gqirana, who aspires to become South Africa's first female pilot. Despite facing significant financial hardship, Siba's family supported her dream, sending her to pilot training school while preparing to repay years of debt. Learning of this, Kara Hatzai, a female pilot from Chicago, recommended Siba as a beneficiary for the project.
"When money moves, good things happen"—as if bringing the company's belief to life, the video shows Siba, now supported, gripping the control stick during training. Her family watches from the ground with smiles as she takes flight into the vast sky.
Western Union has announced a $1 million budget to continue supporting women's advancement. Through its Chain of Betters project, it has previously funded initiatives like building boats for children who must wade shoulder-deep through rivers to reach school and donating power generators to hospitals in Ghana with unstable electricity.
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