Maseka Kithinji is changing the narrative around women’s participation in aviation through Girls in Aviation Africa (GIAA), a registered non-profit in Kenya which provides young girls with early exposure to the industry through mentorship, advocacy and community.
Kithinji’s interest in aviation started in high school, when she’d accompany her parents to the airport before their travels. Watching the planes take off and land “was magical,” she says. “And it still is. I think that’s where it all began for me.”
She faced an early challenge, however. “When I wanted to pursue flying, my family did not have the finances and I also lacked guidance,” Kithinji explains. Instead, she pursued a law degree at Riara University. In Kenya, a law degree is less expensive than flight training and, importantly, one can pay for the degree in installments.
This detour did not end her aviation dream. Roughly two years into her four-year degree, Kithinji found her way back into aviation, and a funding source to begin flight training whilst completing her other studies. She earned her Private Pilot License in 2017 and graduated two years later with a Bachelor of Laws degree from Riara. In 2019, she was admitted to the Bar and became an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya.
The first female microlight pilot in Kenya, Kithinji is in the process of completing her Commercial Pilot License.
Recognizing the need to make aviation more inclusive and accessible to young girls, and driven by her own personal experiences, Kithinji in 2021 founded Girls in Aviation Africa.
“I did not have a female mentor to guide me, and I had to find my way in aviation. Because I did not want the girl coming next to face the same thing, it motivated me to establish Girls in Aviation Africa,” she says
With GIAA, Kithinji promotes early exposure to aviation for young girls in rural areas in Kenya and other African regions. These young girls often face challenges beyond career limitations, including period poverty and other significant financial constraints.
As a non-profit, GIAA is also focused on empowering female aviators in high school and aviation school as well as entry-level career professionals.
One of Kithinji’s most memorable moments came in 2022 when she inspired the career choice of a young Maasai girl in Western Kenya to pursue a flying career through a school outreach.
“She eventually became my first mentee in the industry. This is the purpose of my work at GIAA,” Kithinji tells RGN.
After successfully hosting outreaches in eight counties in Kenya, and building networks across Africa, GIAA received the 2023 Community Development Award from The Aviators Africa’s Tower Awards in recognition for its outstanding impact in bridging the gender gap in Africa’s aviation industry.
The biggest challenge faced by GIAA is funding, Kithinji confides. “We are a fairly new organization, and we are still trying to find our footing in grant applications.”
RGN asked if being a licensed lawyer has influenced Kithinji’s leadership at GIAA.
“This is an interesting question, because I have never been asked before. Being a trained lawyer has positively impacted how I communicate and advocate for the rights of a woman,” she says.
To young African girls interested in aviation, Kithinji advises ‘three Ps’ — Prayer, Passion and Persistence.
“I am a Christian and I believe in prayer. I would not be where I am today if God was not helping me. And I believe He has gotten me here and will get me further.” She also emphasizes the importance of being passionate and persistent as the journey will not be straightforward or easy.
In ten years, she hopes that GIAA will be able to offer scholarships and sponsorships to young African girls in aviation.
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All images credited to Maseka Kithinji
