PAST & PRESENT IN SOUTH SUDAN

SOUTH SUDAN PAST & PRESENT

A brief history of MAF in South Sudan

1947 The Miles Gemini aircraft is dedicated.

1948 Stuart King’s Gemini survey of over 100 mission bases in Africa begins. 1950 First regular flight operations begin in Sudan. 1953 First flights from Sudan to Ethiopia. 1957 Single-engine Cessna 180 aircraft are introduced for use in Sudan.

1964 Expulsion of missions and programme closure after 14 years. 1977 A respite from the civil war sees the Sudan programme reopen. 1983 After seven years of further operations (21 years in all in Sudan), programme closes due to government restrictions. 1993 Relief flights from Kenya begin into South Sudan.

2003 Relief flights from Uganda begin into South Sudan.

2006 New base established in Juba, South Sudan. 2008 First pilot family for Juba, South Sudan arrive to the programme after 25 years. 2011 South Sudan officially becomes independent, and MAF flights continue to provide support as well as respond to evacuation requests from areas of unrest.

My Journey to South Sudan

By Andrew MacDonald

The changes involved in my relocating to South Sudan were never going to be quick or easy. In fact, they have been almost entirely the opposite! But the outcome is that another plane can fly in South Sudan, so it is definitely worth it! I began gaining the skills needed to operate in South Sudan over a year ago by travelling to Mareeba to begin the process of reactivating my Instrument rating. The rest of 2021 was spent preparing for the shift to Africa. From April until November I was located in Arnhem Land where I upgraded to flying the Cessna Caravan and increased my knowledge of Instrument flight. On top of that there were quite a few immunisations, in particular yellow fever, required to enter some African countries.

After Arnhem Land, there was a quick detour to the Netherlands to undergo HEAT training (Hostile Environment Awareness Training), which prepares people to live and work safely in potentially insecure environments. I landed in Nairobi in the last week of November. Currently I am halfway through the Kenyan pilot licence conversion process, which, in itself, is budgeted to take between five and six months. All this is worthwhile because it means that when I arrive I will be fully prepared and trained to fly in South Sudan.

We’re Almost There!

By Jonathan Pound

Since arriving in Africa, we have been based in Kenya and I have been preparing to fly in South Sudan. Recently we made our first trip there! We were not too sure how we were going to react to our future home. We had read about it, and many people had spoken about it, but it was another thing altogether to go somewhere and experience it for ourselves. During our week in South Sudan we were able to see both MAF compounds, the MAF offices, the local church, the international school and the supermarket—and I was able to see what a normal work day looks like for a MAF pilot in South Sudan. The kids made friends with the other MAF kids, and we were very encouraged when they said that they wanted to stay in South Sudan. Michele found comfort in being able to see the markets and find things that we normally eat—and that the markets weren’t too overwhelming. We also met fellow Kiwi Sam Johnston, who took us for a flight in a Cessna Caravan (Daniel got to ride up front!) Now I’m excited to get back there and begin.

Distance flown 537,152 kms

Cargo delivered 148,260 kgs Passengers carried 8,484

Hours flown 2,298

The South Sudan programme today

Arainbow of fabric fills the freight room in MAF’s office at the Juba International Airport. The colours pop against the background of cardboard boxes and walls. They’re waiting to be loaded into the MAF plane flying to Yambio for our partner Humanity and Inclusion (HI). In Yambio, Yei, Torit and other locations across Eastern and Western Equatoria, this fabric will be used to make handcrafts by the women HI serves. Each sale generates precious income for this community but it is more. These crafts are part of a process of healing from traumatic experiences for these women, girls, and other excluded groups. “The materials that were transported through MAF are meant for psychosocial skills development groups,” explains HI’s Deborah Siango, Programme Manager. “This is to meet a psychosocial need for adults to be creatively engaged in learning a new skill, while also benefiting from the support of a psychosocial worker. The project aims to increase the resilience of women, girls, and vulnerable groups from the effects of adversity, violence and exclusion.”

More than 60 years of war in South Sudan has left an estimated 22–40% of people battling mental health conditions, including Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. The need is vast, and growing, as people face hardships and challenges including a weak economy, flooding, inter-communal violence and COVID-19. The country has one of the biggest mental health service gaps anywhere in the world with just three psychiatrists, serving a population of 12 million people. What South Sudan lacks in services, it makes up for in strong communities. This makes support groups an ideal mechanism to target and reach the people most in need. In each location, weekly support groups are organized and meet together from four to twelve times. The structured sessions focus on building basic coping skills and healthy social connections for psychological recovery, while also learning a technical skill like bead work, embroidery, shoe making, fishing net weaving and more. The type of skill is decided on by the community, and the sessions are facilitated by both HI psychosocial support staff and local trainers. Products that are created are kept and sold by the women, creating a source of income for them and their families.

MAF operates in the areas it does to reach the isolated and transform their lives. Being able to support Humanity for Inclusion in South Sudan with flights and material delivery is one way that we are able to see peoples’ lives transformed.

Jenny Davies, Communications Officer MAF South Sudan Top and middle: Colourful fabric lines the MAF office in Juba Below: Women make incomegenerating handcrafts Photos by Jenny Davis

In just ONE WEEK in May 2021, just ONE of South Sudan’s aircraft carried 54 passengers from 30 organizations to 19 locations across South Sudan.

Across all South Sudan’s shuttle flights that week, 153 passengers from 49 different organizations were flown. MAF South Sudan currently serves and transports passengers from 191 humanitarian and mission organizations.