Asnak Almayehu

Ethiopia's first female pilot who broke barriers in aviation and education during the mid-20th century

Asnak Almayehu (1918–2008) was a pioneering Ethiopian aviator and educator who defied societal norms to become the first woman in her country to earn a pilot’s license. Born in Addis Ababa during a time when few women pursued careers in STEM fields, Almayehu’s passion for aviation began at age 14 after witnessing a flight demonstration. She petitioned Emperor Haile Selassie for support, securing a scholarship to study in France at the École Aéronautique de Toulouse. By 1939, she became Ethiopia’s first licensed female pilot, later establishing the nation’s first aviation school for women in 1952. Her advocacy expanded access to flight training, inspiring generations of African women in science and technology. Almayehu also served as a diplomat, using her platform to promote pan-African unity. Her legacy is preserved in the Ethiopian Aviation Museum and the documentary Flight of the Lioness (2015).

Almayehu’s impact extended beyond aviation. She co-founded Ethiopia’s first women’s university in 1960, integrating aviation studies with gender equality initiatives. During the 1970s, she trained over 300 female pilots across East Africa, many of whom became leaders in their fields. Her memoir, Altitude of Freedom, details her struggles against colonial-era biases and her vision for Africa’s technological sovereignty. Almayehu’s story is a cornerstone of Ethiopian women’s empowerment movements, highlighted in the UNESCO report Women in African Aviation History.