18 Vol. 10 / No. 5 / May 2018 Global Aviator
Woman in aviation
Women in military
flight suits are no
longer a strange sight in
most countries around
the world, but in
many African countries
it has taken years to
overcome the natural
prejudice of women
sitting in the cockpit of a
military aircraft.Captain Kgomotso Phatsima is one
such member of the female gender who,
from an early age, knew she was born tofly. She grew up in a small village called
Ledumadumane near Sir Seretse Khama
International Airport, often watching
aircraft passing over their house. Today
she is amongst the first female officers
to ever kiss the skies of Botswana
with a military aircraft. She holds a
Commercial Pilot's Licence from the
Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana.
Along with her determination
to succeed as a pilot, Phatsima
nevertheless kept her feet firmly
anchored on earth and ensured that
she had other qualifications behind
her name. She has spent several years
behind books and now has a number
of degrees and certificates to her
credit including a Master of Science
degree in Strategic Managementfrom the University of Derby with a
focus on Aviation Safety, a Bachelor
of Education (Science) with a major in
mathematics from University of Botswana,
a post graduate certificate in Enterprise
Risk Management from Botswana
Accountancy College and a certificate in
Finance for Non Finance managers from
Botswana Accountancy College. She is
a qualified, accredited trainer with the
Botswana Qualifications Authority.
She is also the Founder and
President of "Dare to Dream", a non-
profit organisation aimed at encouraging
the advancement of youth, women and
girls in aviation and aerospace as well as
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering
Mathematics) education awareness and
equipping young people with business
and entrepreneurial skills in the field of
aviation. She is also the co-founder of
Women in Aviation Botswana Chapter.
Phatsima is the Ambassador of Youth
in Aviation and Aerospace in Botswana.
She has been endorsed as one of the
Goodwill Ambassadors of Aviation and
Aerospace for the African Region by
Captain Judy's Think Global programme.
In the international arena Captain
Kgomotso Phatsima is a member of
Women in Aviation International, a
U.S. based non-profit organisation
dedicated to the advancement of
female aviation professionals across
the globe. She is also a volunteer
of the International Civil Aviation
Organization Next Generation of Aviation
Professionals (ICAO NGAP) Outreach
She is the winner of the Botswana
Youth Awards, Best Female of Year 2017
due to her immense contribution and
visionary leadership in the advancement of
youth in aviation and aerospace not only in
Botswana but across the African Continent.
As a result of her immense
contribution in the transformation of
youth, women and girls in aviation and
aerospace, Phatsima has been donated
two BAe RJ85 aircraft airframes to
turn them into an aviation restaurant
and Aviation Clinic for young people!
Phatsima envisions to set up the first
aviation park in Botswana.
Projects such as these require funds
however, and in order to fulfil her
dream Phatsima is currently looking
for sponsorship and partnerships
across all stakeholders to assist in
realising this vision.•If you would like to help you can contact her at
Tel: +267 74 355 431
[email protected]Brains, determination and leadership
- Attributes that epitomise
the military pilot
Captain Kgomotso Phatsima