My name is Kelebogile Magoai, from Pretoria. I am a qualified aircraft maintenance technician.I attended the Girls Fly Africa (GFA) camp in 2013 when I was in Grade 12. All I knew about aviation was planes, pilots, and cabin crew, but there is much more to it, looking at the technical aspects.
My passion for aviation started when I first attended the airshow at Waterkloof Base in 2011, and ever since, I have been researching the industry and attending airshows. When I told my mother I wanted to be a pilot, she was uninterested in hearing me out. She said it was expensive, and I should focus on my second career choice. So, I went to college and completed my national diploma in mechanical engineering.
One day, I was listening to an interview with Ernest Kekana and followed him on social media. I asked for information on how to become a pilot, and he referred me to the Southern African Women in Aviation and Aerospace Industry (SAWIA), which later became the GFA- page to check for bursaries and more information about careers within the aviation industry. Well, that is where I found out about the GFA camp.
The camp changed my life and how I look at life. When I arrived at the camp, I was so excited and ready to learn and grasp as much information as possible about careers in aviation. I was amazed to see women in different professions within the industry, and I told myself I wanted to be like them. I had no idea then how the GFA camp impacted my life and how it still does to this day.
Not only did the camp help me understand what I wanted to do with my career, but it also gave me sisterhood, friends, and mentors. I went home hoping that one day, I would be among these women in aviation. Now, I am a qualified aircraft maintenance technician, furthering my knowledge by studying and learning about aircraft. As you know, aviation is an evolving industry. I am forever grateful for that opportunity—pink skies.
Kelebogile went on to volunteer for our following camps, inspiring the next generation. She is also qualified as an RPAS pilot and RPAS maintenance technician and working for an international company
