Advocacy & Ubuntu with Refilwe Ledwaba - Social Entrepreneur, Pilot, Educator
Sylvia is joined by social entrepreneur, pilot, and educator Refilwe Ledwaba. Refilwe is the first black woman from South Africa to fly a helicopter and she is also the first black woman to fly for the South African Police Service. Most recently she founded the Girls Fly Programme (GFPA) in Africa, a nonprofit designed to shape, empower, enable and support the next generation of changemakers and problemsolvers in the aviation and space industry.
Topics Include
Growing up in apartheid South Africa
An upbringing surrounded by strong women
The importance of seeing people that look like you in positions you aspire to
Giving recognition to the change-makers that came before us
The burden of being “the first”
The danger associated with breaking glass ceilings
Pre- and post-apartheid
The spirit of ubuntu — "I am because we are."
Transforming community through mindset and education
Flying into remote villages in Africa to run workshops in S.T.E.A.M. and design
Becoming an Obama Foundation Fellow and a Gates Foundation Goalkeeper
Pivoting during COVID to serve a community with minimal internet access
The problem of access and the digital divide
Pausing to heal and self-reflect during quarantine
Resources Mentioned
Connect with Refilwe Ledwaba, MBA, MRAeS
LinkedIn: Refilwe Ledwaba