Mission Aviation Fellowship to Exit Tanzania to Focus on Sudan Crisis

Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) has announced it will conclude over 60 years of aviation operations in Tanzania later this year. The organization stated that improvements in local infrastructure, healthcare, and commercial aviation have diminished the necessity for its specialized flights in the region. MAF is currently coordinating with local partners to ensure the continuity of essential services previously supported by their aircraft.

Resources from the Tanzanian program will be redirected to support humanitarian efforts in South Sudan and Chad, where millions have fled due to the ongoing conflict in Sudan. MAF officials identified this relocation as a strategic priority to address what they describe as one of the world's largest displacement crises. According to MAF, the war has displaced 14 million people, with over 1.3 million refugees entering Chad and approximately 600,000 arriving in South Sudan.

For decades, MAF’s presence in Tanzania facilitated Christian ministry and medical access to isolated areas, including support for the work of Maasai evangelist Elisha Moita. Reflecting on the partnership, Moita noted that the aircraft allowed evangelists to reach remote villages that were previously inaccessible by road or foot.