Women Aviators in Africa welcomes you to first introductory dinner in NBO

[nashipai]

Hello everyone!
Women Aviators in Africa is a registered Non-profit organisation whose goals of availing information and provide mentorship, guidance, and motivation to girls and women working towards, or aspiring for a career in the aviation sector. Indeed, every day young people throughout Africa watch their dreams go to the drain due to lack of information and resources. In a similar vein, many social norms, and resulting beliefs and attitudes, springing from traditional African culture continue to catalyze the discrimination of women, and to undermine their abilities. This has in turn reinforced a glass ceiling in the professional world that limits girls and women, preventing them from attaining positions of leadership and excellence in all areas of society, more so in technical areas such as aviation. In the airline transport sector, women pilots account for a mere 5% worldwide.
This figure is reflective of the limited access that women have in the aviation sector due to various challenges, including lack of information, mentorship, and discriminatory attitudes and beliefs that undermine female participation in technical sectors. We are held our first introductory dinner at the Lenana Mount Hotel in Nairobi on the 19th of December 2008. The turn out was impressive for our first dinner. We had 28 attendees.

This year's conference, which shall be our first conference, shall also be held in Nairobi on the 8th of August 2009. The theme of the conference this year is: If you can dream it; You can do it!! Please visit our website Welcome to Women Aviators in Africa (http://www.wafric.org) for more information and updates of the conference.

I hope I'll be seeing you in Nairobi in August.

Best Regards,
Nashipai

[Taxidriver009]

TIA, savvy?

Good luck!:ok:

[nashipai]

Thanks for the wishes...:), probably needed

[Gambia-track]

I really enjoy seeing the path that you are on. As an outsider, I visited West Africa over 5 years ago and have been back many times since then. One of my basic perceptions was that the future of Africa, is in the hands of the women. While the typical African male will cry foul or worse from this statement, I have seen too many women working in the fields, in the markets, by the roads, even in the clubs to support their families while the men cry and drink tea. Maybe I am not right in my basic perceptions, and certainly there are exceptions to the rules. I know some wonderful African men that are poised to explode on the scene with ideas and vigor, but the women keep working.

Please email [email protected] and ask to be connected to Maimuna Taal. Maimuna was the former Director of Civil Aviation for an African Country and was forced out of the position because she ruffled too many feathers. However she is one of the most gifted women that I know in the aviation industry with education spanning Africa, the U.K. and the U.S. I don't have Mainumas' current email address and I hope that she and Ladetria don't feel bad that I have directed you to them. I still have business to do in Africa and there is a certain protocal that must be followed or you simply are screwed.

I hope this helps and good luck with you program. There is a possibility that we can work together in the future to really bring something good to this endeavor.

Regards

[nashipai]

Hello Gambia-track!
It is so great to hear from people like you who support such organisations. It gives me so much more motivation to work harder and give my whole. As an African I know too well the challenges women go through. The potiential many women have but are not given the chance to express themselves or pursue what they dream of. Sometimes I wonder if the people who block their paths are just afraid of these women's capabilities. I always ask myself whether they understand the pain the women go through, having a dream, a goal but cannot achieve it due to your gender. How would they be if the thing that gives them meaning to living is taken away from them?? Then again, sometimes we probably need to experience something to really understand its impact. Excuse me, I got carried away again....:O
I am hoping to make a great difference to as many people as I can as long as I live. I shall certainly contact the lady. I hope that she still has the same contacts.
So you are in Gambia? I was in Gambia last year working as a volunteer for a month. It was a great experience and I really liked the country- though I felt it was abit too slow for me. The saying 'No hurry in Africa' is really put into use there. Or maybe Nairobi is just too fast, who knows.
I have my email above so please do contact me and we can discuss more about this. It'd be really nice to work with someone who shares the same beliefs.
Looking forward to hearing from you.

[B Sousa]

Nashipai
Dont forget to promote this: Welcome to Aero Club of East Africa (http://www.aeroclubea.net/)

I remember a bartender there by the name of Stevens??, probably long gone by now.

[nashipai]

Hello B Sousa
I did mail them actually, but I havent received any reply yet. I am headed to Kenya soon anyway, I shall visit the club then.
When were you there if I may ask.

Thank you for the tip.

[skytango1]

Hi Nashipai....Stephen,s still at the Cub along with the other Fellas cant really remember their names,Passed by a Month ago,foods still splendid.Good and really freindly staff i have to say.Good to know and see your awareness to Women in Aviation KEEP IT UP...
Got a Couple Lady Skippers/and OFFICERS in The National Carrier now,i believe if you get a message passed on to Flight ops You may have them show up for your gathereing/Dinner etc...

Best of luck....skytango1

[nashipai]

Hello Skytango,
I'll definitely pass by the club.
About passing the word to the National Carrier, Flight ops, do you know where they are situated? I'd be grateful if you could mail me an address and/or talk to the ladies too about the dinner.
Thank you

[perceval]

you should also contact the local flying schools .Kenya school of flying and CMC aviation .They do have quite a number of female students . Most companies at Wilson have some women pilots as well , send them a mail individually or post a few posters around the airport (ALS , Air Kenya , Air Traffic , Mombasa air ).good effort .

[nashipai]

Thanks for the tip. This is something I should have probably done earlier but am hoping that we'll have more time to invite more people for the conference. The dinner went better than expected and hopefully next year's will have a bigger crowd.
Merry christmas and a happy new year.

[Zenj]

Nashipai

Check your PM

[bad]

This is a fantastic initaitive that I think is long overdue. As an african female pilot myself, I can confirm that there is a great need for mentorship and information. I would, however, like to suggest that the dinner for next year be held at a different time since it is very difficult to travel from other parts of the world around christmas time. Well done and best wishes.:ok::ok:

[nashipai]

Hello bad..
I agree with you that this is loong overdue. The reason why I held the dinner in December was because that was the only time I had time for the introduction. We are planning to hold our first conference in July, which we are hoping to be a 2 day conference. The introductory dinner went better than I expected and am hoping that next year's will have an even better turn out. I am working on a website now and I shall let everyone know as soon as it is done.
So which airline do you fly for? And how long have you been flying? Where do you fly?
I hope to hear from you soon.
Best regards,
Nashipai

[kichwa tembo]

Hi Nashipai,

I know a couple of ladies in the leadership of the Kenya Airline Pilot's Association who will be very interested in your initiative.

Please PM me and I can send you their contacts.

Chiaas!:ok:

[nashipai]

Hello Kichwa tembo.

Please have a look at your PM. Just sent you a message.
Best regards,
Nashipai

[nashipai]

Hej everyone!
So I am still trying to fix a website for Women Aviators in Africa. I have created a page on Facebook. Please feel free to join and discuss on aviation in Africa and anything AVIATION related. Below is the website:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Women-...ca/99237635036 (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Women-Aviators-in-Africa/99237635036)

Thank you in advance,
Nashipai

[Tariye]

hi Nashipai,
Am a Nigerian and i really love wat you are doing.I have always had a dream 2 become a pilot.I have also wondered how the women in the industry are treated.Is there a chance one of the dinners would be held in Nigeria?

[nashipai]

Hello Tariye!
Dont stop dreaming. It took me almost 10 years to fulfill my dream...so Dont give it up. Unfortunately right now the next conference we are holding shall be held in Nairobi. Next year, we are hoping to hold it in either Tanzania, Uganda or SA. But we'll hold it in Nigeria one day, unfortunately not right now. If you can make it to Nairobi in July, it'd be great.
I'll PM you my email address and we can keep in touch and I can help anyhow I can.
Best Regards,
Nashipai

p.s: About women treatment in the aviation world, I can honestly not reply to that. I have heard different stories, some good, others not so good. Personally, I only have good experiences, so far.:)

[froggy_pilot]

Very recently Aero Contractor in Nigeria had the first flight with only female crew :D

Captain and First Officer were both female on a Dash 8 (domestic flight)
Well done girls :ok:

Tariye don't give up

[Arik]

This is really encouraging news, I'm about to join your Facebook group!

I'm 'on the other side' of aviation, being an examiner/instructor and hope to do lots of things in W.Africa shortly.

As a female who is tri-lingual, if I can help in any way from W.Africa with your projects, please let me know!

Tariye - you CAN do it; my best friend is a pilot - jealous as anything of her but if you're determined you'll get there!

Arik

[froggy_pilot]

For full story and pictures :

AERO rolls out 1st all Nigerian female flight crew (a 1st in West Africa) (http://www.flyaero.com/cgi-bin/airkiosk/I7/191003?090404205856.208.89.192.2.11301+/aero/I7/EN/static/femalecrew.html)

Tariye
You see even in Nigeria it's possible :D

[nashipai]

Thank you froggy-pilot for the link.

And to everyone,our website is now ready. Visit us on Welcome to Women Aviators in Africa (http://www.wafric.org) and learn more about us and our upcoming events, including our first ever conference to be held on the 8th August 2009 in Nairobi.

Kind Regards,
Nashipai

[Lamyna Flo]

Nashipai - love what you are doing and love your Maasai name! Good luck with it all. Will definitely go and check out the Facebook group. Nice to see so many aviatrices here in Kenya :ok:

Flo