People & Blogs
How to Empower the Next Generation of Pilots | Refilwe Ledwaba | TED
What does it take to fly a plane? For TED Fellow Refilwe Ledwaba, it took perseverance and drive — and an instructor who took the time to teach to her learning style. Today, as founder of Girls Fly Africa, Ledwaba is empowering the next generation of pilots, particularly young women, with the engineering skills, professional…
People & Blogs
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For years, the warning has been: smartphones are destroying a generation. But developmental psychologist Candice Odgers says that decades of data on teens tells a different story — violence, alcohol use and pregnancy are at historic lows, and research shows social media may not actually be the culprit for mental health problems. Hear her analysis…
People & Blogs
“Would I do it all again? Of course, I would.” #TEDTalks
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@shrlox
December 4, 2025 at 11:04 am
Yes daddy I love you too. Message received❤
@dh12.
December 4, 2025 at 11:23 am
So she admits that she barely passed! 😂
@kinsmed
December 4, 2025 at 11:36 am
She relates that she had a bad instructor.
If you have faith in people, they can succeed. Do you?
@Vuk_q5n
December 4, 2025 at 11:23 am
Just the thing I needed ❤
@freshundies
December 4, 2025 at 11:34 am
with the current govermeant making everything unsafe and destorying the rule of law why would any one wont to fly. i want to learn how to setup a gocermeant inside the us out side of the reach of the broken govermeant that is there now.
@kinsmed
December 4, 2025 at 11:35 am
Infectious enthusiasm. But I guess I would too for this topic.
@Eveningbreeze721
December 4, 2025 at 11:39 am
This makes me wonder how many people who never get exposed to things to help them realize what they could really love to do or be good at.
@AnnieB-v8j
December 4, 2025 at 5:06 pm
And also get guided through the steps to achieve dreams.
@bien.mp4
December 5, 2025 at 9:45 am
True
@robinross6701
December 4, 2025 at 11:40 am
I am a commercial fixed wing pilot in the United states and the there are enormous barriers when it comes to race and gender. For white men you are SKREWED, the dei is so ridiculous. An instructor I know who’s puerto rican faked having a Hispanic accent during his airline interview because other Hispanic American airline pilots told him it would help his chances, and whaddya know?? He got hired! There are also scholarships for women, and every race except white.
@Eveningbreeze721
December 5, 2025 at 12:34 am
What are you talking about? Go look up the demographics of commercial pilots. Most are white men. 85 to 90%. Just because others get a small opportunity does not mean white men are screwed. Geez.
@grim6028
December 4, 2025 at 4:51 pm
AI will replace pilots.
@Jazzynet100
December 4, 2025 at 6:13 pm
We can empower them to maybe take up flying model planes or drones. Oh I forgot we over regulated so they can’t now do that. Let’s pop them straight into a real sub 70 kg microlight which requires zero training and way less regulations. Sadly my budding pilot can’t even fly a 250gr toy inside the house. Caa, FAA and others will stop new pilots with regulations for sure 🎉🎉
@ANGÉLIQUEBEL
December 5, 2025 at 9:33 am
♡
@kimahbeach2260
December 5, 2025 at 1:06 pm
Step 1: have generational wealth.
@WayinVideo-DeepQA
December 6, 2025 at 11:04 am
This TED talk by Refilwe Ledwaba is truly inspiring, highlighting the transformative power of mentorship and education in aviation. It’s especially refreshing to see someone directly addressing the barriers young women face in pursuing careers in traditionally male-dominated fields like this one. The focus on hands-on experience and community support feels essential—it’s not just about learning to fly, but about building a network of encouragement, confidence, and belonging.
That said, it also raises a bigger question for me: while organizations like Girls Fly Africa are doing incredible work, what more can be done to make these opportunities sustainable and truly accessible to young women across different socioeconomic backgrounds? Are we doing enough to challenge stereotypes and shift perceptions about women’s roles—not just in aviation, but across industries?
It feels like conversations about long-term support and systemic change are just as important as inspiration. We should be asking how we build a culture that doesn’t only open doors, but also helps these aspiring pilots stay, grow, and thrive in the field. I’m curious what others think—what does real, lasting progress look like here?