Anne Thomas (left) and Heather Robertson (right) posing at a Sepik River school they visited.
Photo from Anne Thomas

An international pair of experienced teachers flew with MAF to help isolated communities to educate future generations.

Story by Ashley Leyenhorst

Anne Thomas and Heather Robertson, while assisting Pacific Island Ministries, are on a journey to support schools around the Sepik River with the help of MAF.

The pair flew with MAF from Wewak to Ambunti and made plans to journey upriver with an Ambunti local, Jessica.

“We’ll visit hopefully 15 or 20 schools. These are kindergarten through grade two elementary community run schools supported by PIM,” said Anne, who is from Seattle, USA.

A basic classroom along the Sepik River, with student tables and a large chalkboard.
Photo by Heather Robertson
A classroom along the Sepik River that Anne and Heather visited.

The visit was for observation, where the pair evaluated the needs of the teachers and how the schools were operating. Most of the teachers at these schools were trained solely by PIM, and do not have further qualifications.

Anne hopes to make these visits more often as a means of professional development.

“I would like to do it twice a year,” said Anne. “Now to visit the teachers and then at the end of January to come train the teachers in what we assessed were their needs.”

Some of the children in the schools will be the first literate generation in their family.
—
Heather Robertson

The visits from educational professionals are important for these communities. The villages along the Sepik River can be difficult to access, and receiving support and encouragement ensures that the schools are successful.

“If it wasn’t for PIM there would likely be no elementary schools in the villages we visited,” said Heather. “Some of the children in the schools will be the first literate generation in their family.”

Boats stopped at a village along the edge of the Sepik River
Photo from Anne Thomas
Boats stopped at a village along the Sepik River

For Heather, who came from New Zealand, this was her first flight with MAF. Anne had already been on MAF flights decades ago and was happy to be flying with MAF again.

“I first came here in 1977, and I probably had flights from MAF way back then,” said Anne. “There’s no road access here. Either I come with MAF, or I come by a truck and then canoe. I would have been on the road all day long.”

With this shortened travel time, the women were able to visit more schools for a longer period and were able to provide more assistance to the local teachers and communities.