Malawi Airlines made history with an all-female operated and supported flight. The company celebrated IWD in style and boldness as an all-women crew took to the skies in a Bombardier Q400 flown from Blantyre in Malawi to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, with a stopover at Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) in Malawi.

Co-pilots, Captain Yolanda Ndala Kaunda and First Officer Lusekelo Mwenifumbo, were given red-carpet treatment on their arrival in KIA where they were greeted by Malawi's First Lady Gertrude Mutharika, and Mary Chilima, wife of Malawian Vice President Saulos Chilima. The all-female flight and attendant team were welcomed with gifts and words of encouragement at a special reception given in recognition of the flight representing Malawi as a symbol of women's empowerment.

Malawi Airlines' Public Relations Officer Joseph Josiah said history had been made.

"Yes, the event on March 16th was the first of its kind by Malawi Airlines. It was the first time a flight was operated by an all-women team," said Josiah. He said the company does not have a stand-alone policy on gender, but that gender is streamlined within its policies in recruitment, management and workplace.

"We are an equal opportunity company, as such we strive to achieve gender inclusiveness at all levels of our operations," he said.

Motivation

Little is known about Captain Kaunda, apart from the fact that she joined Malawi Airlines in July 2013 as a first officer and then climbed the ranks to captain in March 2016. But for Mwenifumbo, her journey has been full of surprises as she never dreamt about becoming a pilot. She said that a career in law was on the cards and what she thought was best suited for her.

"Law was something I thought I would be good at because I had a genuine instinct to always defend the vulnerable," she said.

However, her father, Malawian legislator Frank Mwenifumbo, believes it was her teacher Chituzu Nyirenda in secondary school that was the genesis behind her unplanned detour into aviation.

Mwenifumbo said her teacher instilled confidence in female students by teaching them that they could enter and thrive in male-dominated fields. Inspiration was given to engage in what were largely regarded as male-only territories if they remained committed and dedicated.

However, Mwenifumbo said her father was the one who introduced her to the idea of having a career in aviation.

"My father always wanted me to be a pilot. When he asked me whether I wanted to try to fly a plane, I was surprised. I then curiously started reading aerodynamics just to make sure that those little planes I saw on many websites that had flight school names on their pathetic looking rudders were not going to make my life tough when I enrolled for training one day," she added.

Breaking barriers

Despite her interest in aviation, Mwenifumbo studied bio-medicine at university, but was unsure whether she would be happy spending the rest of her life in a laboratory. After completing her degree, she knew it was a career she was not completely enthralled about.

However, her dormant interest in the aviation industry soon turned into a thriving and life-changing career.

In 2011, her father sent her to South Africa where she attended flight school for her ab-initio training (the very first stage of flight training). She obtained her private pilot license from Aptrac Aviation, one of the top aviation schools in South Africa, and then moved to the Madiba Bay School of Flight to gain experience in operating different aircrafts. After finishing her course, Mwenifumbo returned home and applied for the job with Malawi Airlines and soon after received notification of their interest in her application.

"Malawi Airlines notified me that they were sending me to simulator training for their Bombadier Q400 equipment. They had picked me and I can remember it as if it was yesterday!" said Mwenifumbo.

Equal opportunities

It is a known fact that Kaunda and Mwenifumbo are a source of inspiration for young women who are eager to learn and be motivated by other women who have excelled in male-dominated arenas.

In keeping up the momentum of recent efforts to break down gender barriers and encourage women to reach beyond traditionally prescribed roles and expectations, Malawi's Minister of Gender, Disability, Children and Social Welfare Jean Kalilani appealed to the country to be part of Malawi's progressive movements to shape a more inclusive society.

"Let us acknowledge and appreciate what women have done in our society. Give them the necessary support in whatever they do to make Malawi a better country to live in," said Kalilani.

NGO Gender Coordinating Network (NGO-GCN) Chairperson Emma Kaliya echoed this sentiment in an appeal to men.

"There are some men who look on women as inferior while other organizations do not even employ them. This is uncalled for and should stop because women have the potential to perform if they are given the chance," said Kaliya.

NGO-GCN is campaigning for equal representation of men and women in leadership and other influential positions and has coined its initiative, the 50/50 Campaign. This campaign along with others have come during a momentous time for the country as Malawi continues to usher in a new phase of pragmatic and innovative efforts to improve initiatives that promote gender equality and the empowerment of women.

Mwenifumbo appeals to girls and young women to be humble, dedicated and always ready to learn. She said this is the only way they can fulfill their ambitions.

"It doesn't matter who you are, or where you come from [rural or town]. When you stay focused in your dignity and appreciate your worth with humility, you will reach your goal regardless of any stereotype," she said.