Women's Month profile: KFC Mini-Cricket coordinator Gugu Ndulama

August is women’s month and KFC would like to recognize some of the unsung heroes in their KFC Mini-Cricket programme. Gugu Ndulama is the KFC Mini-Cricket provincial coordinator for Eastern Province and she is one of the unsung heroes in their programme.

Gugu Ndulama came into cricket from a financial background and, although she was always a cricket fan and used to watch cricket on TV, she did not know much about what happens in the background at a cricket event.

So, when she was made Eastern Province KFC Mini-Cricket Coordinator in 2013, she decided initially to use her financial acumen to ensure that the programme was run on a sound basis.

She started to implement new financial procedures in the programme and although they were not well received at first, as soon as the schools and coordinators realised the benefits of the changes they accepted them. “It’s very important, as the provincial coordinator, to know what is happening with the finances so you can see how you can use the money to benefit the children in the programme.”

In 2010, straight out of college, Gugu started working at the Eastern Province Cricket Union as a receptionist and to help the finance department during the Champions League. She worked in the finance department and the in hospitality operations at the games.

In 2013 the province’s KFC Mini-Cricket coordinator left to join the KwaZulu-Natal inland cricket union and Eastern Province needed someone to go to the KFC Mini-Cricket National seminar to represent the province so they sent her.

When she got back they told her that she has been promoted to be the Eastern Province KFC Mini-Cricket Provincial Coordinator.

“I had to learn quickly,” she says. “I had to teach myself by watching others and take the initiative when I had to organise events. Being exposed to the opportunity to learn a lot through the programme has been great.”

Gugu loves the activations that she has organise to grow the programme. “I love the travelling and going the annual KFC Mini-Cricket National Seminar where I can share ideas and learn from others, is always a highlight.”

To be a good provincial coordinator you need to be patient and open minded, Gugu believes. “I am not a naturally patient person, but I have learned how to be patient through the programme.

“A lot of the people that I deal with are teacher-volunteers who have different priorities as educators. So when I ask for things I know I have to be patient and sometimes compromise. To run the programme effectively you have to be mindful of the primary functions of some of the other coordinators.”

For now, Gugu is happy to continue growing the programme. “I would love to see more schools and more kids playing KFC Mini-Cricket in the EP region.”