The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) has marked the 3rd edition of Girls in Aviation Day with a call to Ugandan girls to dream bigger and embrace careers in the aviation industry.
The event, held at Entebbe International Airport on Wednesday, was hosted in partnership with AirServ, Chiedza CheAfrica and Women in Aviation International. 100 girls drawn from over 10 schools across the country attended this year’s career guidance and mentorship sessions.
In her remarks, the Ag. Director General, Ms Olive B. Lumonya, said the day has now become a tradition for Uganda’s aviation sector.
“The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority is delighted to once again partner with AirServ, Chiedza CheAfrica and Women in Aviation International, for the third consecutive year. This year is particularly special because over the three years, we have reached about 300 girls, introducing them to aviation careers and encouraging them to consider the industry as a place where they can build their futures,” she highlighted.
Ms Lumonya said UCAA remains committed to advancing the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP) programme, which focuses on attracting, training and retaining young professionals, promoting gender equality and fostering global collaboration.
She noted that Uganda is honoured that the Africa Women and Youth in Aviation (AWAYA) committee under the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) is chaired by her. AWAYA, she said, has secured over 200 scholarships through the ITAérea – ICAO Developing Countries Scholarship Programme (DCSP), opening doors for women and youth across the continent.
In her keynote, the Ag. DG challenged the perception that aviation is only about pilots.
“Aviation is a vast industry requiring people with different skills. Today, you will interact with female Air Traffic Controllers, Pilots, Aeronautical Information Management Officers, Communication, Navigation and Surveillance Engineers, Bird Hazard and Wildlife professionals, Architects, Accountants, and many others,” she said.
She urged the girls to take STEM subjects seriously:
“Do not be afraid of Mathematics or Physics. Do not think that Engineering or Technology is only for boys. Your gender should never determine the size of your dream. Dream. Work. Achieve. The sky is not the limit. It is your opportunity.”
Her remarks were echoed by Sabah Ahmed Kakooza, Director of Human Resource and Administration at UCAA, who stressed that the Authority is deliberately exposing girls to the full value chain of aviation to address the low female representation in technical roles.
Robina Nalumu, AirServ’s Marketing and Client Care Manager, said the impact is already visible.
“We are seeing more girls joining aviation academies around Uganda and beyond, interested in being pilots and engineers. A couple of years ago, AirServ was mainly American- and Canadian-dominated, but now 100% of our pilots are Ugandan. More girls are getting courage to join because we are showing them it is possible,” Nalumu said.
Vianney Luggya, Manager Public Affairs at UCAA, revealed that the gender gap remains stark, saying, “At Entebbe International Airport, we have just about 17 female air traffic controllers out of over 100, about 15%. The essence of this day is to expose girls to these careers, so they pick interest.”
Luggya also noted that the event is part of UCAA’s 35th anniversary celebrations and highlighted UCAA’s environmental initiatives under ICAO’s CORSIA programme, including Uganda Airlines’ carbon emissions reporting and innovations like free routing and performance-based navigation to reduce fuel burn.
Uganda Airlines’ Chief Legal Officer and Company Secretary, Susan Batuuka Kaggwa, delivered a powerful charge.
“I’m usually the only lady in the room. Executive committee, eight men and just me. We have just concluded a transaction to purchase 10 aircraft from Boeing worth billions of dollars. Guess who led the negotiations? The woman was behind it. So you can do it,” she said.
Batuuka announced that Uganda Airlines recently signed off its first female Captain in command of the Airbus, with two more expected next week.
She also revealed that part of the Boeing aircraft purchase deal includes funding to support young cadets through Soroti Flying School.
“Right now I’m the only aviation lawyer in the country. It’s lonely, so I need more. Keep believing, be resilient and be consistent. Be at the table when it matters. Lift as you rise,” she told the young girls at the event.
The day ended with the students boarding the Uganda Airlines aircraft on the tarmac, taking photos in the cockpit and directly engaging mentors and female professionals across the aviation ecosystem, turning a career talk into a tangible memory that could shape Uganda’s next generation of female aviators.
