GEORGE LEARNERS SOAR TO NEW HEIGHTS AT AERO SOUTH AFRICA / GIRLS FLY AFRICA EVENT IN JOHANNESBURG
Local educator and two learners from Thembalethu High school and MM Mateza attend inaugural aviation experience
Johannesburg 10— 12 June 2026
Two young learners from George in Eden and Central Karoo District (ECKED) in the Western Cape experienced their first-ever flight to Johannesburg this past week, thanks to an inspiring partnership between Girls Fly Africa, AERO South Africa, and Airlink.
The trip, which took place on 10–12 June 2026, brought together Ambesiwe Ndongeni (15, Grade 9, Thembalethu High School) and Luminathi Bekwa (13, Grade 7, M.M. Mateza Primary School), accompanied by educator Ms Aviwe Ncinci, an educator from Mateza Primary School and STEM mentor Ms Memory Dizha.
Ms Memory Dizha, who holds qualifications in Space Science and serves as a Mathematics Subject Education Specialist, has dedicated her career to igniting passion for Mathematics, Science, and Space Science among young learners. Her commitment to creating opportunities for learners from under-resourced communities has opened doors that many never thought possible.
Both learners earned their places through dedicated participation in Saturday enrichment programmes which Ms Dizha organised in collaboration with the Inkcubeko Youth and Science Centre in George, where they met Refilwe Ledwaba, South Africa’s first black woman helicopter pilot and founder of Girls Fly Africa. During a hands-on session, learners competed to build paper planes that flew the furthest. Ambesiwe and Luminathi’s winning designs secured them the rare opportunity to fly to Johannesburg.
The group departed from George Airport aboard an Airlink flight, landing at O.R. Tambo International Airport on the 10th of June. The learners were struck by the scale of the airport and the professionalism of the airline’s service, which included in-flight meals and refreshments for the first-time flyers.
The following day, the delegation (Ms Dizha, Ms Ncinci, Ambesiwe Ndongeni, and Lumenathi Bekwa) attended the AERO South Africa aerospace exhibition at Lanseria International Airport, which was sponsored by the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency (GGDA). The programme featured motivational addresses and team-based engineering challenges, including a spaghetti-and-marshmallow tower competition, in which the George team placed second, and a business poster task requiring learners to design an aviation company.
“The programme reinforced my belief that exposure to careers in aviation and aerospace can ignite curiosity in learners from all backgrounds,” said Ms Dizha. “Several learners now say they want to become pilots, engineers, or air traffic controllers.”
For Luminathi, whose academic journey includes the Growsmart Literacy competition, ESKOM Expo for Young Scientists, and robotics, the trip was transformative: “I learnt that hard work and passion will get you somewhere in life.”
Ambesiwe, who first discovered her love of mathematics through the Back On Track (BOT) campaign and earlier competitions, described the experience as “amazing and interesting.” She added, “I’m so thankful for the opportunity to learn new things.”
Acknowledgements
The group extends its sincere gratitude to:
- Girls Fly Africa and Refilwe Ledwaba for creating pathways for young women in aviation and for selecting the learners;
- AERO South Africa and the GGDA for hosting a world-class, hands-on STEM experience;
- Airlink for providing the flight tickets that made the journey possible;
- Sis Lehlogonolo and Sis Sihle for their on-the-ground support and inspiring words;
- Mr Clive and the Lanseria Country Estate team for their warm hospitality;
- Ms Memory Dizha for her continued mentorship, her passion for Mathematics, Science, and Space Science, and for securing this extraordinary opportunity for the district.
Both learners returned to George with renewed determination. As Luminathi put it: “I’ve made a promise that I will work hard to achieve my goals and dreams, and maybe one day I will become a woman like Refilwe Ledwaba.
