The Sunday News
Robin Muchetu, Senior Gender Reporter
SHE was labelled a “home wrecker” in the media after her relationship with a local married socialite went public as she was accused of being the reason behind the man’s divorce but she has put all the negativity surrounding the incident behind her and is now focusing on a new venture where she is flying in the South African skies as a trainee pilot.
Michelle Gonah, a former model in Zimbabwe is now training to be a pilot in South Africa following her stint in the modelling industry. She was crowned Miss G-Tide Face of Zimbabwe in 2010.
Sunday News spoke to Gonah from her South African base on her new career.
“Firstly, I really struggled opening up. I feel so different about being in the public eye since my modelling days. I realised the reason I got into modelling in the first place was so as to be a role model to others. So thanks so much for the opportunity you have given me to talk about myself once more, maybe other girls can read my story and feel inspired to want to do better for themselves,” she said.
On what pushed her to take up aviation, the beauty queen said she did not really have an exact push factor but found herself there.
“I can’t pinpoint any exact moment when I fell in love with aviation and airplanes. I have just always known I was destined for something a little different from the norm.
“We live in a time where social issues and subjects circling around gender equality and female empowerment are at the fore front of every conversation,” said Gonah.
She said she feels privileged to be a young black female at a time where business, corporates and formerly male only industries are opening up to women.
Gonah has a degree in Political Science from the University of Pretoria but still has the urge to go a little further.
“After graduating from the University of Pretoria with a degree in Political Science I knew I had gained a lot of theoretical knowledge which will forever be an asset to me but I’ve mostly always been more interested in skills-based training. It took me almost a year to wrap my head around my fascination with aviation and to realise it was the industry I wanted to be in and now that I’m training in it I realise I’m in the best place ever,” she said.
Gonah started training in January this year. The next stage, she said, was to qualify for her private pilot licence then start working towards a commercial pilot licence.
She added that there was no set timeframe to complete the training but it was entirely based on one’s funding but one gets 18 months to complete all examinations with a pass mark of at least 75 percent.
Gonah said both the theoretical and practical aspect of pilot training were challenging in ways she had never thought possible.
“Pilot training has challenged me to aim for the best and I feel I’m in my personal best to date. I’m both motivated and focused. I’m still in the process of deciding exactly what type of a career I would like to pursue within the aviation industry, be it as a commercial pilot or as I studied international relations, become an air force aid and relief pilot,” she said.
Gonah said her family had been supportive from the very beginning and said she was extremely grateful for both the positive affirmation and the financial support.
“My parents raised us in a way that makes us extremely headstrong and determined. It came as no surprise to them when I told them what my plans were.
“I appreciate the support from them, moreso because it didn’t intimidate them to know I would be entering a male-dominated industry in that they have never treated me any different from my brother who is a Chartered Accountant and so I have never had an inferiority complex,” she added.
Asked on her future plans she said she was enjoying studying in South Africa which has really become somewhat of a home to her over the years.
However, she said whatever qualifications she would gain, she felt a strong responsibility to bring back home to Zimbabwe that expertise.
“I am adamant about the potential growth of African airlines and would be very proud to join the flight deck crew of any one of them someday. As it stands my focus revolves primarily around my studies. I remain forever grateful for the exposure of being 1st Princess Miss Bulawayo 2009 and the first ever Miss G-Tide Face of Zimbabwe in 2010.
“However, I have not modelled in any form since then. It would take either an extremely irresistible contract or a cause I find extremely worthy to make me get back in front of a camera or on the ramp,” she said.
Gonah said she was excited to be living the days she prayed for as a child.
“I encourage all girls to stand up and be counted in all our respective industries. Dreams do come true when we work towards them, I continue to strive to make myself, my family and my nation proud,” she said.
