Flying for the Hearts: ‘Level-up’ for MAF’s maternal child health clinic flights
MAF in Tanaznia’s new partner, The One New Heart joined the monthly mother and child clinic flight to Chidudu village, a community where access to healthcare remains a major challenge.
The journey from the city of Dodoma to remote Chidudu normally takes around eight hours by road. With the MAF aeroplane, the trip took only 35 minutes.
“The partnership enables us to reach communities that would otherwise remain inaccessible by other means of transport,” said Godfrey Maro, Co-Founder and Director of Communication at The One New Heart Tanzania.
“Community members told us that accessing healthcare means walking up to 12 hours or riding a bodaboda (motorcycle taxi) for about 1.5 hours – a journey that becomes impossible during the rainy season.”
In areas like Chidudu, where MAF already conducts medical outreach services, this collaboration allows The One New Heart to add heart screening, diabetes and hypertension checks that have not been previously available. The vision of The One New Heart is to ensure that no one dies from treatable heart conditions due to lack of access, awareness, or timely care.
The organisation was founded following a deeply personal experience. Nearly eight years ago, Godfrey’s mother passed away after living for over 20 years with an undiagnosed heart condition. It was only a few days after her death that they learned from a doctor that she had suffered from an enlarged heart.
In Tanzania, approximately 17,000 babies are born each year with congenital heart defects, which are a leading cause of early childhood mortality. Subclinical rheumatic heart disease affects an estimated 2.1 to 3% of school-aged children and often goes undetected. More than one million adults live with rheumatic heart disease. Many pregnant women also face significant risks without proper heart screening.
Early screening, diagnosis and sustainable management of heart conditions are very important. When they are available, treatment is more effective, costs are lower, recovery is faster and mortality rates are highly reduced.
Godfrey is hopeful that the new partnership with MAF can bring this kind of change. “Together, we can combine resources and expertise to better serve underserved communities,” he said. “Together, we are Flying for Life. Flying for the hearts.”
Please pray for opportunities to grow this partnership with the One New Heart Tanzania and to take them into more remote communities around the country. In this way we look to increase awareness of congenital heart defects and the possibilities to treat them in the Tanzania, bringing help, hope and healing despite physical isolation.
