MAF Tanzania

Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. The economy depends heavily on agriculture, yet there is a limited amount of fertile land to meet the needs. Ageing infrastructure and difficult terrain mean travel conditions can be dangerous and the rainy season cuts off many villages for weeks at a time. 

MAF started operating in Tanzania in 1963, stopping in 1966 due to resource and staffing difficulties. There were many unmet needs for missionaries serving Tanzania, so we established permanent operations in 1977 and construction of an aircraft hangar began in 1978. From the beginning we have been involved with national churches, assisting them to reach and encourage Christians in isolated places.

Much of the flying centres on medical and evangelistic ‘safaris’ where national and missionary staff are taken out to remote villages for several days at a time. These regular medical and evangelistic trips to remote communities around Haydom, Malambo, South Maasailand, Mbeya, and Kilimatinde enable people who are hard to reach receive medical help and to hear the Gospel. This has necessitated a network of bush airstrips, with more being sited to enable other areas to be reached. 

In 2014 MAF Tanzania underwent major downsizing the main operations & maintenance base in Dodoma was closed down as well as the Dar es Salaam sub base. Operations and admin now takes place out of Arusha while maintenance is outsourced to Central Aviation Services [CAS was set up at the old Dodoma facilities with MAF assisting a national engineer to start his own business].

Key organisations served by MAF in Tanzania

• Haydom Lutheran Hospital
• Anglican Church of Tanzania
• Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania
• Council of Churches in Tanzania
• Wycliffe Bible Translators
• Africa Inland Church
• Kilimatinde Hospital
• University of Virginia (Gates Foundation)
• KIUMA