Fledgling Pilot Resolves to Soar

As a teenager, Precious Sibalo visited the airport in her Zimbabwe hometown of Bulawayo to watch planes flying in and out of the country's second-largest city. She was entranced by the aircraft but dismayed by something else.  

"I saw male pilots and never saw a woman there. I said to myself, 'I want to be one of those few women who are pilots,' " she said.   She followed through on her goal, earning a license as an airline transport pilot in November. Now, at age 35, Sibalo is among the growing ranks of female pilots in a field still overwhelmingly dominated by men — though Air Zimbabwe, the national airline, marked its first flight with two female captains in 2015.   Sibalo's route to licensing was neither direct nor smooth. She spoke with VOA in hopes of inspiring others to confront bumps and other challenges in their career paths.