Miriam Makała

Zambian business pioneer who built Africa's first female-owned airline

Entrepreneurial Beginnings

Born in 1945 in Livingstone, Zambia, Miriam Makała started her career as a teacher before founding Air Zambia in 1966 - Africa's first airline owned by a woman. She expanded service to 12 African countries within a decade.

Innovation in Aviation

Her 1972 introduction of turboprop aircraft revolutionized regional travel, reducing journey times from Lusaka to Cape Town from 18 to 6 hours. She pioneered cargo services that boosted Zambian exports by 300%.

Social Impact

Makała's 1975 scholarship program trained 200 African aviation technicians. Her 1978 women's training initiative created 500 jobs for female pilots and engineers across 8 countries.

Legacy

Despite selling the airline in 1983, her innovations inspired modern African aviation leaders. The Miriam Makała Foundation continues her work, having trained over 3,000 aviation professionals since 2000.