Mangaluru : Twenty-nine-year-old Shaesta Waiz began her solo flight around the globe. She set her sights on breaking a new record: to become the youngest female pilot from Afghanistan to complete such a trip.
The plan is to make more than 30 stops over five continents, in 18 countries, in 90 days – flying more than 40,000 kms.
However, during her journey she arrived from Muscat to Mangalore for two day stay here, she has not visited any place but enjoyed the delectable coastal cuisine at her hotel.
Waiz was born near Kabul, Afghanistan in a refugee camp. In 1987, her and her family fled to Richmond, Calif. to escape their worn-torn country.
Growing up, she started having an interest in aviation and started pursuing something that has never been done before. She became the first certified civilian female pilot from Afghanistan.
She also became the first person in her family to get a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
While Waiz says she looks forward to breaking the record, she hopes to get other young women interested in science, technology, engineering and math.
She started a not-for-profit called Dreams Soar to raise scholarship money for women who want to study in those fields. During her trip around the world, Waiz plans on meeting young women along the way and encouraging them to pursue an education in the male-dominant fields.