Dreams really do take flight — sometimes with the help of biscuits.
Tshepang Ralehoko, a determined young woman from South Africa, has achieved her lifelong goal of becoming a pilot, thanks to the extraordinary sacrifice of her mother, Lulu Ralehoko, who sold biscuits to fund her flight training.
Turning Biscuits Into Wings
Back in 2019, Tshepang faced a major challenge: she had been accepted into Blue Chip Flight School in Pretoria, but with no scholarships or bursaries available, the tuition felt out of reach. That’s when Lulu and her sister Doris came up with a bold idea — start a biscuit business in Tshwane to raise the money.
“I’m good at baking. I’m good at baking too,” Lulu recalled. Those words became the foundation of a small business that fueled Tshepang’s dreams.
Through local sales, word-of-mouth marketing, and social media promotions, their biscuits began to gain popularity. Although the venture covered part of her fees, Tshepang still needed R60,000 for her Private Pilot License and R250,000 for her Commercial License.
Determined not to give up, she moved closer to Wonderboom Airport to avoid disruptions from campus protests and pushed forward with the support of her family and community.
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A Dream Realized
After years of sacrifice and hard work, a scholarship eventually stepped in to cover the remaining costs. In 2022, Tshepang officially earned her wings, becoming a certified pilot. Today, she proudly flies with Eagle Air and is already advancing toward her third stripe — a mark of progress in her aviation career.
But for Tshepang, it’s not just about personal achievement.
“I’m not doing this just for myself. I’m trying to create the drive to fund other people in the future that are also Black and female,” she said.
More Than a Pilot — A Symbol of Hope
Tshepang’s journey is more than an inspiring story; it’s a powerful reminder that sacrifice, resilience, and community support can lift even the highest dreams off the ground. From selling biscuits on the streets of Tshwane to flying planes above South Africa, she proves that no dream is too high — and no sacrifice too small — to change a life forever.
Credit: Allschool, Allcbt
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