If you are a church or religious organisation who would like to share more stories and images about the work of MAF, then in this section you can find ready-written material, prepared by the MAF UK News team, for you to download and use.
Come us find us at various events around the UK this year. We'd love to meet you and tell you more about the amazing opportunities to train and work with us.
At the heart of all we do is a desire to see isolated people changed by the love of Christ. Become an MAF Prayer Partner and be a vital part of our team. Partner with us in prayer today!
Our quarterly Prayer Diary includes daily prayer needs, photos and themed scriptures to equip you in intercession. As an extra bonus, the Prayer Diary comes with our Flying for Life Magazine - full of up to date stories from the countries in which we serve.
You’ve landed in one of the poorest and most densely populated nations on the planet
Effectively only the size of England, Bangladesh is home to three times the number of people. An influx from Myanmar’s neighbouring Rakhine state added 250,000 new arrivals. More migrants arrive every day, compounding the already desperate needs.
Those living here experience some of the most extreme water challenges on earth. From the air, you’ll notice just how much water there is. One third of the country is submerged under 4,971 miles of dirty waterways.
Many of Bangladesh’s vast population are regularly evicted from their homes by cyclones, flooding and tropical storms, exposing them to potentially fatal, waterborne diseases. Some build their houses on stilts to try and avoid the deadly water.
For more than 20 years, MAF has flown relief, development and medical workers into areas that cannot be reached by land. The unique amphibious plane you’ll travel in is the only humanitarian aircraft of its kind operating in Bangladesh. It’s able to land on water and reach some of the country’s poorest and most isolated communities.
During your visit, you’ll witness life-changing partnerships with NGOs, such as Friendship’s floating hospital, which enable thousands of marginalised people to receive medical care that transforms their quality of life and gives them dignity and hope.
MAF is critical in responding to natural disasters. We provided one of the first civilian aircraft to respond to the needs of the Bangladeshi people following cyclones Sidr, Aila and Mahasen – which killed more than 10,000 people.
Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries we serve, and the next disaster could strike at any time.
Population
164 million – one of the most densely populated countries in the world
Life Expectancy
74 years
Languages
98% Bengali, with some local dialects across outlying regions
Basic Human Needs
Almost 1/3 of the population live below the poverty line
Nutrition
40 million people don’t have enough food
Child Development
5.5 million children under the age of 5 are chronically malnourished
Passengers
In 2019 MAF’s amphibious Cessna 208 aircraft flew 812 passengers
Locations
Our aircraft reached 37 remote locations
Partnerships
MAF partnered with 58 life-saving organisations across Bangladesh
1 – Plant
new crops at the Farmer Nutrition School in Char Mudafot that could save a family from malnutrition.
2 – Land
on the water and watch the children line the riverbanks and dive in to greet our beautiful amphibious aircraft – a truly amazing experience!
3 – Visit
a child recovering from a life-changing club foot operation on the Friendship floating hospital on the Jamuna River.
4 – Build
a fishing boat in Padma village to help fishermen recover from a recent storm which swept away their livelihoods.
MAF partners 58 organisations in Bangladesh to make sure the right people reach the right place at the right time. Here are some of the people you could meet on board our Cessna 208 floatplane:
‘MAF is giving a good service in the country, which is especially important in times of disaster response.’
‘If we can save one hour, it is one person’s life saved. So, if MAF is not there, one whole day is wasted in travel – one whole day going, one whole day coming and how many operations, maybe one third of the operations we would not have been able to do if we did not have the services of MAF.’
‘MAF provides the fastest and most flexible way to travel to hard-to-reach areas. They are a great support to the team.’
PLANE OVERVIEW:
Operating from both land and water, this versatile aircraft is often called the ‘ultimate amphibian’. With more than 8,000 miles of useable waterways and hundreds of landing sites, our flights reach some of the most remote and inaccessible areas of the country.
SPECIFICATION:
Single turbo-prop engine
Carries up to 9 passengers / 700kg supplies
Cruising speed 160mph
Large cargo door for easy loading
Spacious air-conditioned cabin
– our amphibious Cessna aircraft is one of a kind in Bangladesh. Please pray for the safety of our pilots and staff who work to maintain this unique and versatile aircraft.