The Director General of Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority (SLCAA), Madam Musayeroh Barrie has called for African women to “collaborate across borders, across sectors and across generations” to rise and dream boldly, strongly, and relentlessly to make an impact.
She made this call at the launch of the African Women Summit UK held in London while delivering a keynote speech after being recognised with the “Africa Women Leadership Impact Award.” The Summit explored the theme: “Daring to rise, excel, achieve and make an impact.”
Musayeroh shared an insight to her background and how a visit to her birth country Sierra Leone at 23 after being raised in the United Kingdom since age 5 became a turning point for her career. “That visit changed everything, it awakened something in me. What was meant to be temporary became permanent. I didn’t just go home, I found purpose. I found belonging, I found myself”, she recounted.
According to the DG, the theme of the summit relates deeply with her journey. She started from the bottom and built herself with no connections, family recognition and no network to seek support from upon returning to Sierra Leone. She added that she is a “living proof that destiny, purpose, commitment, and hard work can take you anywhere in life”. In turn, using her journey to encourage others to be hopeful, determined and strive for success in whatever they find doing with or without connections.
She noted that, daring to rise means rising when the odds are stacked against you and recalled her appointment as the Director General of the CAA, she noted that despite the excitement and honour to become the first female in Sierra Leone to hold the position and also the youngest in the world, she said: “I was also terrified! Not because I doubted my capacity, but because I had no idea how I was going to move from private to public sector and how I was going to juggle this new exciting but demanding job and my role in the home and as a Mum.”
She acknowledged the support from her mother was the push and encouragement she needed to take on the role of the DG without neglecting the other.
The DG extended gratitude to the President of Sierra Leone, His Excellency Julius Maada Bio for believing in her and giving her a platform to show her capacity.
Musayeroh made it known that in Sierra Leone, civil aviation has evolved from just moving people around alone, she noted that “it’s about opening the skies to opportunity. It’s about ensuring safety, sustainability and sovereignty in our airspace.”
Remarkably, she noted the “historic relaunch of Air Sierra Leone and the direct connection between Freetown and London Gatwick sends a powerful message that Africa is connected and capable.”