Flying the South African Flag beyond the Clouds
Johannesburg, June 2019: Many women have raised the South African Flag high and continue to do so in their different walks of life. One woman who stands out or should we say soars high is Refilwe Ledwaba. A social entrepreneur, qualified Pilot on both Fixed wing and Helicopters, qualified flight instructor and an academic who is passionate about youth development and the economic empowerment of women in Africa
Growing up in Limpopo, Refilwe was not exposed to a lot of choices when it came to careers. It was in the older days when there were set careers; doctors, lawyers, teachers and nurses. Ledwaba went on to study Bachelor of Science at the University of Cape town and it was during this time that the aviation fire was lit in her. Traveling back to school from the holidays, she was flown by a female pilot for the first time in her life and this ignited a passion for aviation she never knew she had. She made sure she graduated with her BSc and soon after, she started her aviation classes.
Fast forward a couple of years later, Refilwe Ledwaba is not only the first black woman to fly for the police but she is also the founder and executive director of Girls fly programme in Africa (GFPA) foundation, a STEM education programme in Africa currently operating in South Africa, Botswana and Cameroon.
Recently, she was chosen by the world’s iconic number one Whisky, Johnnie Walker, to be part of their inspiring advert, Keep Walking SA. - In 1820 John Walker came up with the world’s number one whisky brand, which was passed on from generation to generation. This brand is the true epitome of taking strides towards success and challenging new levels of potential. The Keep Walking slogan of the brand is in line with the pioneering individuals that have teamed up with Johnnie Walker on this campaign. The purpose of this campaign was to inspire people from all walks of life, by showcasing the lives of ordinary South Africans doing extra-ordinary things.
Keep Walking SA is a campaign whose narrative is powerful as it speaks to breaking boundaries, opening industries, inspiring those around you (friends, communities) a NATION. It also speaks to moving forward, regardless! And being honest about it. Refilwe was the perfect person to join the other brand ambassadors as she is the true definition of keep walking.
Her passion for flying is contagious, and it's that which has driven her to keep walking and working on her dream of developing South Africa's next generation of female aviation experts and Africa's future leaders in science.
Follow Johnnie WalkerSA @johnniewalkersa (Instagram), @johnniewalkersa (Twitter) and Johnnie Walker South Africa (Facebook) #KeepWalkingSA
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