Sibongile Sambo

＊ Entrepreneur Sibongile Sambo

The rejected flight attendant who started her own aviation company

＊ Sibongile Sambo wanted to be a flight attendant with South African Airways, but she did not meet the minimum height requirement to become one.

So she decided to star her own business, and had to sell her car and use her mother's pension money to set it up.

Today, she is the founder of SRS Aviation, Africa's first female aviation company. Sambo was named on the "20 Young Power Women in Africa 2013" list.

＊ Breaking into a male dominated industry

The business may be high-flying now, but it has seen more turbulent days. For Sambo, breaking into this male-dominated industry and "getting to learn the language" proved challenging.

Despite the difficulties, SRS Aviation received an Air Operating Certificate by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), allowing it to operate commercial flying activities, and has helped three women get their private pilot licenses. They are now employed full-time.

❝ I'm where I am today because somebody invested in me," she says. "It's my opportunity now to invest in other people ❞ said Sibongile Sambo

Today, women are sitting side by side and establishing their businesses as household names in a variety of industries, including publishing, technology, fashion, broadcasting and beauty.And to inspire you to do the same, follow us in the following posts. We simply write about them to make them visible.

Sibongile Sambo is a pioneering woman .Nowadays, She is Chief Executive Officer of SRS Aviation Ltd., the first 100 percent black, female-owned aviation services company in South Africa. Here is her secret :