My cousin was in the wrong place at the wrong time, but I’m living our dream for both of us

One man overcame personal tragedy to keep his dreams alive.

Mansoor Wamala, 21, from Liverpool city center, is currently training to be a pilot. He was inspired to enter this profession while he was a child.

Speaking to the ECHO, Mansoor said: “The pilot noticed me and said, do you want to have a look inside the cabin? That turned him on to be honest. I asked my mother, “who are those people over there?” She said, “They’re pilots.”

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From there, Mansoor and his cousin Abdul Mayanja shared a hobby and wanted to become pilots. Mansoor, who is originally from London, said: “When I was a kid, me and my cousin used to watch YouTube history channels, Red Arrows, just because I was interested. He was four years older. He joined the RAF Air Cadets. First flight experience opportunities.

“I joined at 16 and was there until I was 18. I was introduced to engineering and flight concepts. I was taken to air bases.”

However, tragedy struck in 2017. Abdul was giving friends a lift home on August 25 when a female passenger fell ill, prompting them to stop in Well Street, Stratford, London.

As Abdul and his friend were standing on the wall, they were approached by Sean Obazee and Braeden Henry, who asked them: “Why are you finishing?”

Abdul was then shot in the back with a rifle. He later died at the hospital. Obazee and Henry were sentenced to a minimum of 30 and 31 years respectively for the murder.

The incident was devastating for Mansoor, but he vowed to pursue his dream. He said: “My cousin inspired me. He was one of the youngest Typhoon pilots in the RAF. He was 19 when he was killed.

“That shocked me. It hurt a lot. I said I would never give up. To fill the pain in my heart, I have to fulfill both of my dreams, which is to become pilots.”

Mansoor continued to work and landed a scholarship that gave him 13 hours of flying time. He said: “It was the first time I was given the controls of a plane. From that, it gave me more confidence that I was capable of doing it.”

However, it was difficult to find new opportunities. Mansoor found it difficult to pay the fees for the later programs and felt that there was a lack of working-class people from ethnic minority backgrounds like himself entering the profession.

He said: “I am from a single parent household. I didn’t have the right financial circumstances at home. But I thought, I’m not going to let that limit me.

“I did my research and found another company called Air League. I was not accepted the first time I applied in 2021. It was heartbreaking, but I thought I would try again. The following year was when I joined the University of Liverpool. They offer flight alongside the course.

“I had to pay a fee of £5,000 on top of my actual tuition fees. I then spoke to my aunt who works for Newham council. They provide something called The Youth Empowerment Fund.

“They gave me £2,500 and then I had to lend the rest to my family members. I started the course and worked at Liverpool Flying School in Speke.

“I am now in the final year of my aerospace engineering degree. I have flown 20 hours through the university program and another five hours through the Air League program.”

As a trainee pilot, Mansoor only flew smaller aircraft, but plans to become a commercial pilot after completing the required amount of training. Mansoor also likes living in Liverpool. He said: “I love the accent. I can’t get enough of him.

“I love my people here. They were so welcoming. Every Scouser I met at university, on nights out, in my accommodation, receptionists, people in hospitals, shops – everyone was lovely. I felt at home very quickly. On top of that, the community here, which you see at Africa Oye, Halloween and student nights.

“I had the chance to go to Anfield and see Liverpool play as well. I feel like I’ve become a man who lives in Liverpool.”

Mansoor is also a talented basketball player, which he says helped him train as a pilot. He said: “I would like to thank one of the basketball teams called Hustlers United. I was able to release my stress and calm down.

“It helped me grow as a person. It is something very close to my heart. It helps all other aspects of my life. Being clearer in class – that’s very important if you want to be a pilot.”

Mansoor is keen to encourage others from similar backgrounds to become pilots and feels as motivated as ever. He said: “I feel these failures have helped me develop the resilience within me and put a fire in my belly to achieve it. Sometimes when you have everything on a plate, you don’t appreciate the value. I also gained a sense of purpose as to why I do it.

“You realize there’s a huge gap in the market for people from a black background, from a poor background. I want to inspire others.”

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