...that's what our planes are doing. Enabling doctors to reach people in Madagascar such as 14-year-old Lysine in remote Bekodoka, suffering from chronic respiratory problems, but living many hours' walk from the nearest hospital. Bringing relief and medical teams, enabling development and education, sharing God's love.
Without air support, it is so difficult to reach Bekodoka and so many communities. There is so much to do. And we can't do it alone.
With your gift, we can be a vital lifeline to the outside world for more and more communities across Madagascar and over 30 other developing countries.
Lack of clean water is a serious threat to health in north-eastern Madagascar. Very young and old people are particularly vulnerable to illnesses caused by dirty water.
Building on emergency work in communities affected by cyclones that frequently strike the region, our partner Medair is developing water and sanitation projects in villages around the port of Maroantsetra.
In this remote corner of Madagascar, our contribution to the projects is vital. Because many villages are not reachable by road, communities benefiting from water and sanitation systems rely on MAF to fly in equipment from the island’s capital Antananarivo.
Outside the island’s main cities, more than 19,000 villages are spread across Madagascar’s 6 provinces.
The absence of roads means that most villages can only be reached on foot. This situation has resulted in physical and spiritual poverty – even today, people in remote regions cling to ancient beliefs and live in fear of evil spirits.
But things are changing. Every new airstrip means that hundreds of people are given a connection to the outside world. Our missionary partners tell us that, with every passing month, more Malagasy people are opening their hearts and minds and giving themselves to Jesus.
'I pointed to a tree that would need to be cut down. No one smiled or said a word. Someone mumbled that it was the home of a ghost. Discussion flared and one young man’s opinion was translated, “Our faith is too small to cut it down now. Maybe we will do it when our faith is stronger.' From a report by Jakob Adolf on clearing ground for an airstrip near Anjabetrongo
How MAF is helping to save lives
Saving these young lives alone made it worth building the airstrip in Sahakevo.
Jakob’s view of the airstrip at Sahakevo is shared by the parents of two young boys who benefited from one of the first clinics in their community. When we flew a doctor into the village, he examined Todisoa and Rakotozafimimahaleo and discovered both boys had an
exposed hernia. Without surgery they would die.
Acting quickly, pilot Matthew Slaubaugh flew the boys to Antananarivo for life-saving operations. Less than a month later, they were back home with their parents and have since made a full recovery.