An island education
Imagine you live on an island, with no nurseries or schools. This is what life was like for children on Bhola island, one of the poorest places in Bangladesh. MAF flies partner organisation CO-ID, which run schools for children there, enabling them to finally get an education.
Bhola Island, in southern Bangladesh, is the largest island in the – home to more than two million people. This island is sadly prone to devastating flooding, with many people having had their homes washed away; forcing them to live as best they can in an area where even basic services don’t exist.
Only recently have roads been built there, although an electricity supply has still not been installed in the schools run by CO-ID.
Fred Hyde, CO-ID’s leader, had been working in the area for many years, so he knew what the local people needed most – the chance to get an education. Today, the CO-ID team has helped educate more than 100,000 children in local schools!
MAF flies their staff and school equipment to Bhola Island using its Cessna 208 , which can land on the water!
According to Fred, who died four years ago, ‘CO-ID relies on volunteers to get the work done. So saving even a single day in travel time makes a huge difference. MAF’s planes take us straight from the airport terminal in Dhaka (Bangladesh’s capital) through to Bhola, saving us around eight or ten hours each way.’