Tereza’s story: I want to be a pilot
From: UNICEF
Series: Digital Diarists: Sudanese Youth Voices
Length: 05:17
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When Tereza Kitale looks up at the sky over the town of Juba, Southern Sudan, she sees her future.
"I want to become a pilot," she says. "But here in Southern Sudan it's very difficult to find a female who has become a pilot."
The 17-year-old student at Juba Day School hopes to change that.
In June 2009, Tereza was one of the participants in a week-long radio production workshop for 10 young people from Juba. UNICEF Radio – in partnership with UNICEF's ‘Back on Track’ programme on Education in Emergencies and Post-Crisis Transition, the UNICEF Southern Sudan Area Programme and Southern Sudan Radio – conducted the workshop with five boys and five girls chosen from local schools.The young people learned how to record, edit, write and produce a radio report of their own.
For her story, Tereza interviewed Justine Takoki, a Kenyan female pilot based in Juba for the World Food Programme.Ms. Takoki said that a major obstacle for women pilots is that the profession is dominated by men. "For a woman to come in and start flying, it was very difficult," she said.
"My advice to Sudanese girls is to follow their passion – and if they really want to become a pilot they should follow their passion and dreams and realize them and work very hard at it," she told Tereza.
Ms. Takoki said that Tereza reminded her of when she was in high school and she met a female pilot – the only female captain in Kenya – who became an inspiration to her. “And I went and talked to her – just like you're doing – and she encouraged me and showed me exactly what I needed to do."
"I wish to do the same thing as Ms. Takoki," Tereza said. "And I wish to fly with her one day."
Tereza's report was produced to commemorate the Day of the African Child on 16 June.
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Piece Description
When Tereza Kitale looks up at the sky over the town of Juba, Southern Sudan, she sees her future.
"I want to become a pilot," she says. "But here in Southern Sudan it's very difficult to find a female who has become a pilot."
The 17-year-old student at Juba Day School hopes to change that.
In June 2009, Tereza was one of the participants in a week-long radio production workshop for 10 young people from Juba. UNICEF Radio – in partnership with UNICEF's ‘Back on Track’ programme on Education in Emergencies and Post-Crisis Transition, the UNICEF Southern Sudan Area Programme and Southern Sudan Radio – conducted the workshop with five boys and five girls chosen from local schools.The young people learned how to record, edit, write and produce a radio report of their own.
For her story, Tereza interviewed Justine Takoki, a Kenyan female pilot based in Juba for the World Food Programme.Ms. Takoki said that a major obstacle for women pilots is that the profession is dominated by men. "For a woman to come in and start flying, it was very difficult," she said.
"My advice to Sudanese girls is to follow their passion – and if they really want to become a pilot they should follow their passion and dreams and realize them and work very hard at it," she told Tereza.
Ms. Takoki said that Tereza reminded her of when she was in high school and she met a female pilot – the only female captain in Kenya – who became an inspiration to her. “And I went and talked to her – just like you're doing – and she encouraged me and showed me exactly what I needed to do."
"I wish to do the same thing as Ms. Takoki," Tereza said. "And I wish to fly with her one day."
Tereza's report was produced to commemorate the Day of the African Child on 16 June.
