Ashaba pursued arts to become a pilot

There are few female pilots in Uganda and Faridah Ashaba is one of them.

Besides flying, the 30-year-old philanthropist is also a keynote speaker who inspires young people around the world. 

She has spoken in South Africa, Dubai, USA, UK, Kigali and Tanzania among others.  

She has also featured in women’s magazines in Australia and has been hosted on popular TV shows in Philadelphia, New York and Ghana.

Meanwhile, Ashaba never thought she would ever fly an aeroplane.  

Ashaba with the girls

Even if she wanted to pursue the course, her mother, a snacks vendor could not afford the tuition. 

Ashaba envisioned being a chef or an interior designer.

Surprisingly, she has defied odds and taken huge strides on the international scene.

In 2019, she was the only African and youngest out of the nine women innovators of the world, selected by the UN Women to feature in the ‘Impossible to ignore’ campaign that was displayed on media platforms across the world. 

Her face was plastered all over New York Times Square, Westfield world trade center, the Economist, NASDAQ with over five million impressions on international women's day.

“This profession comes with a lot of recognition and favours. It has also boosted my confidence,” she says.

“You shift from thinking about yourself and have it in mind that your mistakes can cause loss of lives,” she highlights.

Elsewhere, Ashaba founded Bambino life foundation, where she promotes girl child education and empowerment. 

She has impacted over 3,000 girls in remote areas. She donates scholastic materials and equips the girls with the skills of making reusable sanitary pads and liquid soap.

She is also director of STEM Queens Uganda, an initiative that encourages young girls to participate in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Joining flying school

Growing up, Ashaba experienced all the bad things poverty throws at a child. She was abandoned by her dad and her mum single-handedly raised her and her brother. 

“I would also sell snacks at school to raise pocket money,” she adds.

Fast forward, she garnered 17 points from History, Economics, Geography and fine art at A level.

She enrolled at the flying school.

“Piloting is more of practical and training. It’s like driving a car. You don’t need to have passed sciences to drive it,” she explains.

Meanwhile, during her senior six vacations, Ashaba’s uncle advised her to join East African Civil Aviation Academy (Soroti flying school) for a diploma in flight operations and management which takes a year. 

She needed sh7million. Piloting goes for over sh67million. 

Her mum took loans and enrolled her in March 2011.

It was course 22 and they were only 11 students mostly male.

“Life at the aviation school is to world standards,” Ashaba remembers.

She had a fully furnished room, good meals plus laundry services.   

“I didn't know female pilots existed until I saw one flying on my third day at school. I was empowered and determined to be like her,” she recalls.

Unfortunately, Ashaba was doing a different course. She had to enrol for a piloting course to fly. This would only be possible with a government scholarship.

She completed the course and chased for a scholarship for two years; moving between Soroti and Kampala countless times.

“Whenever I heard that the president would be in Soroti, I would travel there. He usually lands at the school airfield and speaks to the students. They get a chance to ask for favours,” she explains.

She prayed and fasted in vain. 

“Mum even lost money to a conman who lied to take me to the president. It was heartbreaking for us,” she shares.

Lady Luck smiled her way in 2013.

She heard of the president’s visit and jumped on a newspaper van to Soroti. She met the president and got the scholarship.

“The first time I flew the plane on my own (solo) is one of my proudest moments in life,” she reveals.

Currently, Ashaba has a commercial license that permits her to fly passengers.  

“In piloting you have to keep adding on to your credentials,” she highlights. 

She is done with the multi-engine rating which allows one to fly planes with more than one engine, and also finished instrument rating, meaning she can be hired by any airline around the world.

“Going from first officer to being a Captain someday is something I look forward to,” she envisions.

Ashaba went to Shimoni Demonstration School, Bright Day and Boarding Primary School and Happy hours’ primary school

She then joined Wanyange girls school and Kyeizooba girls SSS for her O levels and St. Peters SSS Nsambya for her A levels.