After decades of isolation, a generous gift from the Autonomous Bougainville Government ignites MAF’s return, promising to bridge remote communities with life-saving aviation services.
Story by Tajs Jespersen
“People have been lost, mothers have died on the high seas,” said Pastor Albert Magoi, his voice heavy.
From his village in Bana, South Bougainville, he recalls the void left by the civil war—25 years of silence in the skies, where boats capsize, and mountain paths claim lives.
On July 21, 2025, a new chapter unfolded in Bougainville. The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) presented a 1 million Kina (USD240K) cheque to Mission Aviation Fellowship, a pivotal step toward re-establishing aviation operations.
Chief Secretary Kearnneth Nanei handed over the funds on behalf of President Ishmael Toroama, marking a commitment rooted in a Memorandum of Understanding signed in April. The money will help fund a crucial aircraft hangar at Buka Airport, laying the groundwork for flights to resume by early 2026.
That is why we need MAF's air service for education, business, health and church work in Bougainville
Without air access, health workers can trek days to deliver care, educators struggle to supply schools, and church projects falter, but the generous gift from the ABG brings a renewed hope for the future.
“Today, it gives me great pleasure and honour on behalf of the President, ABG and people of Bougainville to handover this K1million cheque to MAF in PNG as ABG’s commitment to re-establish MAF in Bougainville,” said Mr Nanei during the ceremony.
He tied the initiative to ABG’s Vision 2052 and Transport Master Plan, envisioning reopened airstrips in Nissan, Buin, Torokina, Oria, and mountainous areas over the next decade.
“This is all aligned with these critical blueprints that within the next ten years we are required to open up the skies within Bougainville and re-access our airstrips.”
Bougainville’s rugged terrain—dense mountains and remote islands—has long isolated communities from essential services.
“That is why we need MAF's air service for education, business, health and church work in Bougainville,” said Pastor Albert.
A key advocate from the Bougainville Christian Churches Association, Pastor Albert knows this urgency of this need. He wrote letters inviting MAF back, driven by personal hardships transporting church materials and aid.
“When I transport literature through boat transportation, I see that the boats have been lost on the seas. When I tried to transport through the mountains, I've had to do it by the large rivers or by walking, and I've seen they have been lost,” he shared.
MAF Launch Team Director John Woodberry, accepting the cheque, expressed profound gratitude.
“Your contribution to MAF is a gigantic first step to helping MAF establish again in Bougainville,” he said. “MAF has a history in Bougainville from 1965 to 1975, and in helping launch Boug-Air and we have the heart to bring help, hope and healing to people in remote communities around Bougainville.”
In a thank you letter, he confirmed the funds’ direct use for the aircraft hangar, enabling services for health, education, governance, and church support. Yet, this gift is just the beginning. The K1 million covers the beginning of foundational infrastructure, but building a sustainable operation demands more—ongoing partnerships, additional funding, and community involvement.
Pastor Albert reports that the people of Bougainville are more than ready.
“People are already clearing airstrips, waiting for MAF’s planes to land again.”