When young women are given access to opportunity, they do more than gain work experience. They build confidence, develop skills and create pathways to brighter futures.
This Women’s Month, YES celebrates the women turning opportunity into impact and showing what becomes possible when business says YES to young women’s potential.
The Women Behind the Impact
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In this special Women’s Month video, women across YES share their perspectives on empowerment, growth and the lessons that have shaped them. Their reflections speak to the resilience, ambition and determination that continue to drive progress in workplaces and communities across South Africa.
Women Driving Progress Across Industries
These reflections mirror the impact created through the YES programme. Of the 230,000+ youth who have participated in YES, 56% are women, with the majority between the ages of 21 and 25. This shows how YES is helping young women access career-building opportunities at a critical stage of their working lives.
Young women in the YES programme have contributed to a total salary injection of R7.79 billion into the South African economy, showing the economic value created when young women access meaningful work experience.
Beyond formal employment, young women are also creating opportunities for themselves and others, with 15% of female YES Youth respondents participating in entrepreneurial activities. This demonstrates the growing role of women as business owners, innovators, and job creators.
YES female participants are building careers across key sectors including manufacturing, financial and insurance services, wholesale and retail trade, ICT, education, health and social services, and professional and administrative services.
Across these sectors, young women are contributing in roles such as Data Analyst, Software Developer, Customer Service Agent, Finance Analyst, Digital Marketer, IT Support and Solar PV Installer. These roles show how access to opportunity helps young women gain experience in industries shaping the future of work. These roles demonstrate that young women are actively contributing to industries that drive economic growth, innovation, and business success.
YES Corporate Partners are also helping drive women’s participation at scale, with leading contributors including YUM Pizza Hut, Nedbank Ltd, Shoprite Group of Companies, Mercedes-Benz South Africa, Toyota South Africa, Foschini Retail Group, BMW South Africa, Volkswagen South Africa, Absa, Motus Holdings and The SPAR Group.
Together, these partners show how business commitment can open doors for more young women to access quality work experience and build pathways into the economy.
A Future Built on Opportunity
Behind every statistic is a young woman given the chance to learn, grow and realise her potential.
Whether in factories, financial institutions, classrooms, retail environments, customer service centres or technology-enabled workplaces, women are helping shape South Africa's future while building sustainable careers for themselves.
This Women’s Month, we celebrate every woman because when we empower her, we power progress.
Because when we invest in women, we do more than change individual lives. We power progress for families, businesses, communities, and future generations.
Empower Her. Power Progress. Say YES to her potential.