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Olemilei airstrip in Malambo, Tanzania.
Olemilei airstrip in Malambo, Tanzania. - Photo credit: Peter Grifiin

It took just a 10-minute flight, to provide 84 women and children with a new ray of hope as an MAF aircraft gracefully landed at a remote mountain airstrip providing essential medical care to those in need.

MAF Pilot Peter Griffin navigated through to the challenging airstrip sat on the side of a mountain 6,000 feet above sea-level, to bring the first mobile clinic to this community with very limited access to medical services. The short flight from Malambo brightened the faces of the community and brought them hope.

For many years, MAF Tanzania has been collaborating with the Malambo Bible College, extending its wings to transport evangelists to isolated villages to share the Good News of Jesus. This partnership has cultivated several growing churches in the region, but MAF has continued to be on the look-out for new ways to increase the impact of these safari flights.

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Mothers patiently anticipating their turn for assessment during the clinic.
Mothers patiently anticipating their turn for assessment during the clinic. - Photo credit: Peter Grifiin
Despite the challenging airstrip, it was a really satisfying day. Bringing healthcare closer to the community had a positive impact, which was more significant than the obstacles we encountered.
Pilot Peter Griffin

So, when a local government health centre was looking for a way to transport a medical team to this inaccessible location, MAF was delighted to be able to add this flight alongside the regular evangelistic work.

The medical team were able to provide a range of services including screenings, diagnoses, vaccinations, treatments, and counselling, all the services that we might take for granted at our local clinic. Among the patients were children who had never been immunized, so great had the obstacles been to them reaching the nearest regular medical care.

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Nurses assess their patients under the shelter of a tree.
Nurses assess their patients under the shelter of a tree. - Photo credit: Peter Griffin

Pilot Peter Griffin talked about the difficulties he faced during the flight and how the villagers reacted. He mentioned, "Despite the challenging airstrip, it was a really satisfying day. Bringing healthcare closer to the community had a positive impact, which was more significant than the obstacles we encountered."

Through collaborations like these, MAF continues to deliver help, hope and healing to isolated communities that would otherwise remain underserved.

Story by: Jacqueline Mwende