Afghan-American pilot Shaesta Waiz has embarked on a solo journey around the world in her single-engine plane, saying she wants to inspire young women around the world by her feat. The 29-year-old first began her world-wide trip last May, departing from Daytona Beach, Florida. Her itinerary includes such countries as Canada, Spain, Britain, Italy, Greece, Egypt, Bahrain, India, Afghanistan, Singapore, and Australia. She will return to the U.S. in August, having logged over 16,000 miles.
During a recent welcoming ceremony in Kabul, where she met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, the young pilot remarked: “The purpose of this trip is to inspire young girls and boys to believe in themselves, to believe on what they are capable of doing, regardless of where they are from or the challenges you had faced in your life.”
