Lieutenant Ayida Alaro is an Ethiopian Airborne Dispatcher Expert. She has jumped from an airplane about 37 times. She is someone who took the courage, bravery and patriotic feeling from forefathers and foremothers. The National Defense Force that she joined in her childhood filled her with strong patriotic feeling and commitment that she stayed there for about 18 years.
The airborne that she dedicated her life to, has presented her as the only woman who jumped from an airplane in both genders for 37 times.
Lieutenant AyidaAlaro has stayed with the Ethiopian Press Agency and talked about her life and career experience. Enjoy reading.
Ayida was born and raised in Addis Ababa around Filamingo area. She attended her Primary education in NetsanetBirhan Primary School and went to Bole Secondary School. She also took her diploma from Misrak General School.
Growing up in an area named ‘Meshualekiya Arategna’ where she had to see many soldiers adorned with their military uniforms every day, influenced her to join the military at a young age without having adequate knowledge about military life.
“Though I have little information about it, I knew that the patriotic feeling and strong commitment that the military life brings wouldn’t let me be otherwise. It has been 18years now since I joined military”.
Speaking about her training, she said “A mother who just gave birth to her child would not feed him something he cannot eat. She will take the time to allow the child to have what is necessary at the right time through the process.”
She went on saying: We got the training step by step starting from basics for six months to Hurso and Tolay Training centers. The profession of military symbolizes little Ethiopia as all the airbornes who are drawn from each part of the country represent Ethiopia. It is a place where people really get to know their country and stand as one though language differences might be constrained at some point.
When a soldier accomplishes his military training and is promoted to Commando, it requires physical and psychological readiness as things start to become challenging. Someone with basic military knowledge is also needed to be mentally ready to accept any situation to engage in the Commando, as to her.
But, she indicated that as someone who was born in Ethiopia, she was able to receive the courage and bravery from forefathers and foremothers.
Reminding that she jumped 37 times, she said the first five jumps would get the airborne soldier five wings while 30 jumps would get him additional stars in his wings; however, the more people add jumps, the more they get frustrated since they see people falling, get injured and face trouble with parachute.
The Ethiopian Airborne has built a huge school with the vision of returning its former trophy. Thus, she would do whatever is necessary to make her country proud and make the vision come to reality.
Ayida has never faced risky challenges in her stay at the airborne though she encountered little fractions on her legs during her 33th jump. But it never made her retreat or go back yet she made other jumps after that.
“I remember my first jump; one of our comrades had been sacrificed. It was in 1998 on Antonov Parachute. It is forbidden to change your mind once you are on the plane, whatever the reason maybe. I think the airborne soldier was terrified. I realized he was gone when I saw the face of the jump trainers,” she recalled.
The mission of an airborne is jumping in the middle, front and at the back of the enemy to save his people. Airborne pushes the military to victory; it changes history and sustains a nation. They are not for the show; it has so far brought about prominent individuals like Brigadier General TesfayeHabtemariam who served in the Ethiopian army for over three decades in the Airborne Division.
When an airborne soldier jumps, it is different from other jumps that civilians make. It has to fly long kilometers holding heavy necessary weapons. Once he is on the land, he is expected to hide or burn his parachute as he is in the enemy’s district and cannot leave a trace. Hunger, thirst and other challenges are not new to an airborne when he is in an enemy’s district. But he has to bear all the difficulties to accomplish his tasks properly, she noted.
Lieutenant Ayida has not married yet. But the fact that getting married has made many women give up their dreams usually makes her unhappy. Women tend to give up their dream when they start a family; however, they need to follow their vision even through challenges and obstacles.
Nonetheless, Ayida mentioned that women like Athlete Tirunesh and Derartu Tulu have proved that starting a family and giving birth does not necessarily constraint women from following their passion. Marriage and children are blessings, thus they should not give up their dreams, she stressed.
Everyone in this world is born with purpose. Exerting responsibility does not necessarily mean executing office activities. While others built a house, others led households, institutions; the rest of us might be here to safeguard our nation. It is the collective effort that makes a country complete. We have to bear the challenges and build our country successfully.
On the one hand, the role of women in the Victory of Adwa is undeniable, especially the role of Empress TaytuBitul. Women of this generation need to also become in the front executing different tasks to represent their nation.
“As for me, I never compare myself with men. I see it as we could support and make a good team together. More importantly, my country could not be valued from my status. In whatever situation I am in, it does not represent my nation. We all say we love our country but we fail to make it practical. We forget that if we cannot make something fruitful, we can at least stay put from doing wrongs or harm the country. Ethiopians need to take responsibility for their country. They should stand as one to sustain peace in the country. Everyone should exert utmost effort to create the Ethiopia we want, she emphasized.”
Despite the number of airborne that jumps multiple times, Lieutenant Ayida remains the only woman that jumps 37th time in both genders.
BY BETELHEM BEDLU
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 8 MARCH 2024
