Over 200 Senior High School girls filled the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) new auditorium to participate in this year’s Girls in Aviation Day celebration full of expectation and beaming with smiles and listening with rapt attention as the carefully selected speakers from Women in Aviation took turns to inspire them.
Ms Eloina Baddoo, Delta Air Lines Marketing and Sales Manager for Ghana, Liberia and Cote d’Ivoire, narrated the story of how she started a career in aviation in 2017. She indicated that she rose to her current position at Delta by starting out as an intern, working with the General Manager at the time. Having worked hard for about two years, she was nominated to her current role where she supervises operations in three countries.
According to Ms Baddoo, the aviation industry offered endless possibilities for young women who aspired to break limits and excel, adding that Delta was a proud supporter of such young brilliant minds like hers.
“I am proud to say Delta Airlines’ teams in all the five destinations in Africa, including Accra, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Lagos and Senegal, are led by women,” she said.
This demonstrates the airlines’ strong dedication to supporting women and girls in the aviation industry, and the reason why Delta was thrilled to be part of this wonderful initiative that encourages young girls to dream big.
In March this year, as part of events to mark International Women’s Day, Delta held a high-tea event for women leaders in the aviation industry, and in business to network and encourage each other in the industry.
For over three years, Delta has supported the Girls in Aviation Day celebration in Ghana by introducing girls to the airline business, and the exciting career prospects available to them, either as pilots, engineers, marketers, customer service representatives, or in various other roles across the sector.
The programme was organised by the Ghana Chapter of Women in Aviation International (WAI). It was the first time meeting after a hiatus in 2019 due to the coronavirus pandemic, and selected students from Accra Girls High School, Tema Senior High School, Ola Girls Senior High School, Lashibi Senior High School and a representative of Afia Kobi Senior High School in Kumasi, who were eager to soak in all sessions, led by professionals in aviation, mainly women.
Other speakers admonished the girls to stay focused, be disciplined, take advantage of all available opportunities, and work diligently towards their career goals. They encouraged them to appreciate their unique backgrounds, as this could greatly fuel their work attitudes and influence the outcome.
In attendance were the Deputy Minister for Transport, Alhassan S. Tampuli, the President of Women in Aviation, Ghana Chapter, Madam Juliet Okae, a Board Member for GCAA, Madam Joyce Opoku-Boateng, and the Managing Director, Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL), Mrs. Pamela Djamson-Tettey.
The girls enjoyed an exhibition of miniature aircraft at the event grounds, and a tour of the Air Traffic Control (ATC), Simulation Centre and Terminal 3 at the Kotoka International Airport.
