Our Stories
HF Radio connects Isolated community to the outside world
We understand the need for reliable communication and the vital role that communication plays enabling information to be shared faster and connections to be made easier.
However, the remote community of Yenkisa (Enga Province) had been deprived from the much-needed services far too long due to no access to road and no proper form of communication available to connect them to the outside world.
Because of these limitations, the community of Yenkisa is considered an isolated community that has no exposure to town and city life outside of their own community. MAF Technologies, Workshop Manager, Lukas Schadegg made a remark that, “As there is no road link and the place is quite remote, there is more traditional culture visible than in other places. The people there wear western cloth, but still many cover their back with tanget leaves (over their clothes) and a lot of them bilas (wear) bird feathers on their head or paint their faces.”
The only access they have to the outside of their remote community is via MAF Plane, but without a reliable form of communication it would be challenging for MAF to chatter flights to Yenkisa since it would be uncertain what the weather would be like there or whether the airstrip is in good condition to land the plane.
Also providing medical evacuation for the community will be another challenge because it would be difficult for the Community Health Worker (CHW) to report the patient’s condition in order to arrange for medical assistance or evacuation.
The Yenkisa Radio operator said that the HF radio will serve an estimated population of 13,000 people plus surrounding communities enabling them to share information and also receive faster services especially during medical emergencies.
This HF radio installation wouldn’t have been possible without the generous donation from Mobile Communication Queensland (MCQ) Australia and funding support from MAF International. Their support with MAF Technologies service has enabled the community within Yenkisa and surrounding communities likewise to have access to and receive the health services and other vital services that would benefit the whole community.