A serious request. I'm hoping to be in Yamoussoukro in two weeks to attend the anniversary of the 'Yamoussoukro Decision' - liberalization of airspace in Africa.
Added to which there is a 'gender' theme to the conference, I got a call about this from Dakar a few days ago to give my version of what the issue actually entails for the conference.
I can't say right now but there are a number of high level African women going to the conference. As a member of WAFRIC (wafric.org); myself & the President, a Kenyan, currently living in Europe are determined to go & make ourselves known. To stand up for women across Africa wanting to move into a 'mans world' - a world of aviation.
There are currently an estimated 6% of airline pilots of the 'fairer sex'. This figure diminishes when you look at the statistics in relation to air traffic controllers, technicians etc. A few weeks ago I was in Addis Ababa presenting at AFCAC's Brain Drain Conference. I brought up the subject of Eddy, an 8yr old in the centre in Cote d'Ivoire. He wants to be my pilot in the future, how can he be if he & the many others don't have the opportunity to get a scholarship. He doesn't have parents to fund his pilot training.
If anyone in aviation is reading this in the very near future. There are two women committed to getting more women and youngsters into aviation in Africa. Please help us out, we need to be in Abidjan by 24th October! Thanks!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Sunday, October 11, 2009
From West to East
Africa that is ...
I've just got back from a business trip to Ethiopia. It was short, too short; I barely saw the capital Addis Ababa.
It's been 6 years since I was last in East Africa. It was strange to be back, it made me realise why I love West Africa, having loved the east for so long, exploring the west over the last couple of years I feel more 'at home' there now.
The Ethiopians are lovely, very quiet, very happy but sooo quiet. I kept looking for 'noise' and got fumes instead with the endless Lada taxis on the streets. Only one taxi driver had a radio, a flash one that he told me that a client from US bought him. He loved his radio and played it for the whole journey back to the hotel.
Maybe they're quiet due to the amount of khat they all chew. The amount of bodies, lying all over the place, on roundabouts, along walls, on the edge of streets was incredible; all under the influence of khat. It's in such high demand in the Horn of Africa & Ethiopia is a massive exporter. Apparently there's a weekly flight to Djibouti which is always on time & full of khat for the population. The last taxi I got to the airport from a great little restaurant 'Asqual', my driver was high on something, I presume khat; I was happy that it was only a kilometre away.
So this quietness had me flummoxed, I kept expecting to hear some zouglou screaming out of a maquis somewhere. Especially as one of the girls working in the hotel I stayed in for the first night had 'Abidjan Farot' as her ringtone which she was surprised came from W.Africa until I explained it to her over my breakfast!
No music, no crazy streets of taxis ... just people going about their daily life with the effects of khat very evident.
I'd love to go back one day. It looks to be a beautiful country but I think I've been converted to the West African way of life ...
I've just got back from a business trip to Ethiopia. It was short, too short; I barely saw the capital Addis Ababa.
It's been 6 years since I was last in East Africa. It was strange to be back, it made me realise why I love West Africa, having loved the east for so long, exploring the west over the last couple of years I feel more 'at home' there now.
The Ethiopians are lovely, very quiet, very happy but sooo quiet. I kept looking for 'noise' and got fumes instead with the endless Lada taxis on the streets. Only one taxi driver had a radio, a flash one that he told me that a client from US bought him. He loved his radio and played it for the whole journey back to the hotel.
Maybe they're quiet due to the amount of khat they all chew. The amount of bodies, lying all over the place, on roundabouts, along walls, on the edge of streets was incredible; all under the influence of khat. It's in such high demand in the Horn of Africa & Ethiopia is a massive exporter. Apparently there's a weekly flight to Djibouti which is always on time & full of khat for the population. The last taxi I got to the airport from a great little restaurant 'Asqual', my driver was high on something, I presume khat; I was happy that it was only a kilometre away.
So this quietness had me flummoxed, I kept expecting to hear some zouglou screaming out of a maquis somewhere. Especially as one of the girls working in the hotel I stayed in for the first night had 'Abidjan Farot' as her ringtone which she was surprised came from W.Africa until I explained it to her over my breakfast!
No music, no crazy streets of taxis ... just people going about their daily life with the effects of khat very evident.
I'd love to go back one day. It looks to be a beautiful country but I think I've been converted to the West African way of life ...
Friday, October 9, 2009
BBC3 Kids with Machetes
I was thrilled to learn that the BBC were doing a documentary about the Cote d'Ivoire.
Watching the first episode last night, I winced, I tried to block out the narration, I tried to pretend that in fact I was watching a children's TV show, all this at 9pm UK time.
If the BBC insist on calling country 'Ivory Coast' that's fine, but please, realise there's an article before it, 'the Ivory Coast'. The presenter herself (who got sick with malaria - did she take any prolaxysis?) was unbelievably naive with a dreadful grasp of the English language. Speaking to locals using very familiar English language made it all the more painful to watch.
The story was about kids in the cocoa plantations near San Pedro working with machetes. It could have been brilliantly portrayed especially at that time of night. Instead we were subjected to watch a program fit for 10 year olds who love Blue Peter, it didn't get to the root of the problem in any way, shape or form.
BBC, please don't disappoint in future. I would be embarrassed to show this to my friends in the Cote d'Ivoire! It's a shame the BBC crew over there weren't able to control some of the content. I feel it would have been far better if they had been able to as they understand the situation.
End of rant ...
Watching the first episode last night, I winced, I tried to block out the narration, I tried to pretend that in fact I was watching a children's TV show, all this at 9pm UK time.
If the BBC insist on calling country 'Ivory Coast' that's fine, but please, realise there's an article before it, 'the Ivory Coast'. The presenter herself (who got sick with malaria - did she take any prolaxysis?) was unbelievably naive with a dreadful grasp of the English language. Speaking to locals using very familiar English language made it all the more painful to watch.
The story was about kids in the cocoa plantations near San Pedro working with machetes. It could have been brilliantly portrayed especially at that time of night. Instead we were subjected to watch a program fit for 10 year olds who love Blue Peter, it didn't get to the root of the problem in any way, shape or form.
BBC, please don't disappoint in future. I would be embarrassed to show this to my friends in the Cote d'Ivoire! It's a shame the BBC crew over there weren't able to control some of the content. I feel it would have been far better if they had been able to as they understand the situation.
End of rant ...
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