First Sundanese woman from Civil Aviation Authority

Zainab Al-Obaid Youssef (1952 – 19 March 2016) was a Sudanese aviation engineer, she was the first Sudanese woman to receive a license from the Civil Aviation Authority (UK).

She worked for Sudan Airlines from July 1973 to May 1992, after which she returned and settled in the UK. In the 1960s, Sudanese culture was hostile to women who wanted to study and work in various fields including engineering. Zainab studied and worked in the fields of electronics, aviation electronics, navigation and radar. She worked on various types of aircraft such as Boeing 707/Boeing 737/347/Voker 50 and Voker F27 at Sudanese Airways, Cessna 402/404/208 and Bitchcraft 1900 of London South End Airport.

Zainab was born in Khartoum on June 13, 1952. The first daughter of Al-Abeed Youssef Ahmed Shadwan, a well-known and respected businessman in the town, and his wife was Asma Al-Abeid Ahmed Shadwan. Both of her parents came from a religious background.

Grew up in the village of Um Dawa Ban famous for Al Masid School, a large religious school for boys where people from all over Sudan and the southern African desert send their children to study the Quran. Youssef finished her high school and is credited to the encouragement of her father, as it was customary for Sudanese girls of her age to go for marriage and stop their academic gains. Youssef studied Electronics Engineering at Khartoum University from 1970 to 1973.

Worked as an aviation engineer in a wireless maintenance and repair shop. From 1983 to 1986, she studied aviation engineering and electronics at Brunel Technical College in Bristol, UK, receiving her license from the Civil Aviation Authority. In the 1990s, she earned a Master of Science degree in Advanced Manufacturing Systems from Kingston University.

The story of a Sudanese woman who has mercy on the Bash Engineer Zainab, and we ask Allah for forgiveness and good neighbors with friends and martyrs, and reward her with the best reward.

Source: Sudanese women

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