On May 29, 2022, Kenya's Captain Yasmin Abdi Farah made history in Somalia after becoming the first female pilot of Somali descent to fly in the country since 1991.
Abdi, who hails from Wajir County, flew from Mogadishu to Kismayo, marking her maiden flight as a fully-fledged captain. She had previously been the first officer in the previous flights.
"It is my first day as a captain, and I landed at Sayid Mohamed Abdille Hassan International Airport. I had several landings at this airport, but I was always the first officer in the right seat," she stated after landing in Kismayo.
Her achievement brings to light the tremendous records set by Kenyans in the diaspora. Recently, Noreen Kidunduhu, a Nairobi-based lawyer, made history after being appointed as the chairperson of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, an international body recognised for being granted a royal charter by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Passengers who were aboard the flight were also pleased to witness a female captain, with one of them stating, "It is a good thing for us to see a Somali lady fly us and I would like to call on the other Somali girls to take a leaf from her."
Abdi's remarkable feat has been hailed as a significant milestone for women in aviation and a source of inspiration for young girls across the East African region.
