Women in Aviation International (WAI) Nigeria Chapter is making significant strides in inspiring and empowering young girls to pursue careers in aviation.
In line with the yearly WAI practice, the Nigeria Chapter took two days in the month of September to educate and empower young girls in all the states of the country to expose and attract them to build careers in aviation.
Each state has a focus on how to enlighten these young girls in order to woo them to aviation. There were excursions to the airside, lessons on the functioning of aircraft. While Artificial Intelligence (AI) took centre stage at the Lagos State event, the Abuja FCT educated the young girls on the different parts of the aircraft, the control tower and the fact that a female can be an aeronautical engineer, air traffic controller as well function in every aspect of aviation.
According to Sylvia Egbegi, National Protocol Officer for WAI Nigeria Chapter, “Many young girls are hesitant to consider aviation as a career path due to a lack of information about the industry”.
To bridge this gap, WAI Nigeria Chapter has established over 15 aviation clubs across the country, providing a platform for young girls to learn about the industry and develop their skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The organisation has also awarded scholarships to young girls in the past year, demonstrating its commitment to supporting the next generation of aviation professionals.
“We aim to propel more women to leadership positions, especially with IATA’s 25% by 25 policy”, Egbegi said. “Women, when they see other women doing stuff, they want to be part of it. Women like to be part of what is good”.
WAI Nigeria Chapter’s initiatives are designed to inspire and educate young girls about career paths in aviation, providing them with the necessary tools and support to succeed in the industry. The organisation’s efforts have shown promising results, with a good response from women joining the aviation industry.
Egbegi appreciated the Founder of WAI Nigeria, Dr. (Mrs.) Rejoice Ndudinachi for the laudable step, adding that she is industrious and diligent at achieving goals.
Women in Aviation International (WAI) is a nonprofit organisation dedicated to providing a global community for women in aviation.
With over 20,000 members in 120 countries, WAI is the largest nonprofit organisation dedicated to supporting women in aviation worldwide.