Afripreneur
Meet The First Female Military Pilot In Botswana Advancing Girls In STEM And Entrepreneurship
Kgomotso Phatsima(Captain) is among the first female military pilots in the Botswana Defense Force and the President and Founder of Dare to Dream, a social enterprise dedicated to the advancement of youth, women, and girls in STEM with a focus on aviation, aerospace, and entrepreneurship development. Also, she is a Co-Founder of Women in Aviation, Botswana Chapter. In this exclusive interview, Alaba Ayinuola spoke with Captain Kgomotso to learn more about her social enterprise Dare To Dream and why she’s helping to inspire today’s youth women and girls to discover their passion for STEM, AVIATION and ENTREPRENEURSHIP. Excerpts.
Alaba: Tell us about Dare To Dream and the role you play?
Kgomotso: I am the President and Founder of Dare To Dream, a social enterprise dedicated to the advancement of youth women and girls in STEM, Aviation and Aerospace as well as entrepreneurship development skills.
Alaba: What spark your interest in the military, aviation and STEM?
Kgomotso: I grew up in a small village near Sir Seretse Khama International Airport, I used to see planes passing over my mother’s house, for an early young age I knew l was born to fly, this made me develop interest in STEM from an early young age and ultimately served as a foundation for my career
Alaba: How does it feel as one of the first female military pilots in the
Bostwana Defense Force?
Kgomotso: It has been a beautiful experience, challenging but remarkably exciting, I used my pioneering place to advocate and inspire more learners to venture into careers in the Aviation industry not only in Botswana but across the African Continent
Alaba: Why do you think girls or women are underrepresented in aviation and STEM?
Kgomotso: STEM subjects are believed to be hard and intimidating for women hence the need to have positive role models and Mentorship to encourage female participation in this fields, secondly our culture for example, when l told my mother that I wanted to fly she said ” During our time it was unheard of for a girl child from very humble beginning to fly planes” this stereotypes and limiting beliefs affect female and discourage them.
Alaba: How can we get more girls interested in STEM?
Kgomotso: By encouraging girls at grassroots level , partnering them with mentors, exposing them to different fields of STEM, hosting STEM Career days, Competitions and hackathons to celebrate science
Alaba: What are the obstacles faced and how are you overcoming them?
Kgomotso: Back then when we started flying most of the guys did not want to fly with us, but as the stereotypes started disenterafrating and female pilot’s celebrated across the world, they started accepting and even encouraging and mentoring us to be better aviators
Alaba: How does your organisation measure its impact?
Kgomotso: We have monitoring and evaluation techniques such as questionnaires before and after our programs, we also keep a database of all our students and reach out to them track their progress and share with them opportunities
Alaba: Do you have a female role model who inspires you?
Kgomotso: My Mother- even though we had a 45 year old age difference we still remained the best of friends. May her soul rest in peace
Alaba: What is your advice for for someone who wants to be in your role or a STEM career field?
Kgomotso: Be Fearless in the pursuit of what’s sets your soul on fire, you are going to fail many times, a lot doors will be closed on your face, never give up raise your sights and see possibilities,dust yourself and go back into the fighting arena and pursue that which resonates in your heart.
Alaba: How do you relax and what books do you read?
Kgomotso: I love traveling, Meeting new people and learning new cultures, I just returned back from Dubai. I am currently reading and finishing my first book titled -:- BORN TO FLY – The Story of a Female Military Pilot rising in Africa!
Alaba: Teach us one word in your local language. What is your favourite – local dish and holiday spot within Africa?
Kgomotso: Dumelang means hello. My favourite local dish – serobe morogo and bogobe Holiday Spot – Cape Town in Africa.
B I O G R A P H Y
Kgomotso Phatsima is the President and Founder of Dare to Dream, a social enterprise dedicated to the advancement of youth, women, and girls in STEM with a focus on aviation, aerospace, and entrepreneurship development. She is a Co-Founder of Women in Aviation, Botswana Chapter. She holds a Master of Science in Strategic Management (University of Derby) and a Bachelor of Education Science (University of Botswana). She is also a qualified trainer by the Botswana Qualification Authority.
Captain Kgomotso Phatsima is among the first female military pilots in the Botswana Defense Force. She holds a Commercial Pilot License from the Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana. She is the winner of the 2017 Botswana Youth Awards for the Best Female of the Year Award and a recipient of the 80th British High Commission Commonwealth Point of Light Award. Kgomotso is also a 2018 Fellow of the Obama Foundation Africa Leaders Program and an Alumna of the International Visitor Leadership Program, USA Leadership Tour.
Phatsima is a professional coach and sought-after motivational speaker. Together with her company, she conducts team building trainings and several other coaching and training services.
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