Grade 10 school leaver Mackenzie flies to help his people

By MICHELLE AUAMOROMORO
MACKENZIE Saofe only reached Grade 10 in school but the hundreds of people in remote areas of Oro are today grateful to him for a vital service they have been lacking for decades.
Since the airstrips in those remote areas closed after North Coast Aviation ceased operations in the 1980s, people had to walk for days to reach Popondetta or Central to access government services, carrying their cargo with them.
“People in these remote areas of Oro face difficulties in accessing health services. They carry their goods and walk for days to get to either Popondetta or Central to do shopping or to access government services. Life has been very hard since the airstrips closed in 1980s.”
Last April, Mackenzie set up a company based at Girua airport and, together with Air Sanga Limited, reopened the airstrips in the remote areas. Flights have since resumed to the airstrips.
“I see help going in through the service I am offering since the establishment of my company. People now have the means to transport their goods.”
Mackenzie, 44, is from Moro village in the Musa Local Level Government in Oro. He has five children. He left school after Grade 10 at the Popondetta Provincial High School in 1995.
He worked as a clerk with Eda Ranu for two years before serving as an agent for Airline PNG at Girua airport from 2002 to 2005.
He worked with the National Aviation Services as the regional manager in Popondetta from 2016 to 2018.
He then served as a general manager of Air Katarina Ltd for a year before resigning on Jan 20 to start his own company.
His experience in the aviation companies motivated him to set up Air Oro Logistics on April 8 last year.
In partnership with Air Sanga Limited, they re-opened the airstrips and resumed the vital transport link and service for the people in those remote areas.

“ I see help going in through the service I am offering since the establishment of my company. People now have the means to transport their goods.”

“So far we have opened airstrips at Urobi, Namudi, Itokama Obea, Gewaia Embesa, Safia, Kira, Tetebeti and Emoriva. We are now pushing to open the Wanigela airstrip.”
While serving as a councillor in the Safia Local Level Government from 2005 to 2009, he also noticed the difficulties his people faced, especially in transporting goods and travelling to the nearest government stations.
He watched them braving the elements and walking for days to reach Popondetta or Central. He wanted to do something to help them. It took Mackenzie about three months to find the funds to register the company. He sought financial help from his relatives. He also went gold seeking in the Musa River to sell in Port Moresby.
He is grateful to Air Sanga Limited for allowing him to be their agent at Girua airport.
“We have been working together to provide services to the people of Oro especially (re-opening) the rural airstrips unused for many years.”
His company enabled the transportation of polio vaccination officials from the Health department to remote places in the province.
It also assisted with the transportation of materials belonging to the Seventh-Day Adventist Church.
The company has set up its office at the old terminal at Girua Airport after signing a licence agreement with the National Airports Corporation. The keys were handed over to him on Sept 20.
The company has four employees – Mackenzie as the chief executive officer, two potters and a security guard.
“We are looking forward to employing more people when we open more airstrips.”
He recently changed the name of his company to Air Oro Ltd.
The next step is to buy his own aircraft.
“I look forward to purchasing my own aircraft in the next five years so I can continue to serve my people in Oro.”
Not bad for a Grade 10 school leaver.