A 21-year-old from Mougulu in PNG’s Western Province has not only paid for his own school fees, but also the classes of three of his brothers by using MAF freight flights to support his dream.
Story by Matt Painter
Otty Sasy is a pioneer of his generation. Not only is he a member of the inaugural grade 12 from the Mougulu Secondary School founded in 2020, but he stands out in self-funding his secondary education.
“Back in 2018 I looked after a pig and sold it for 800 Kina,” Otty explains. “I gave 300 Kina to my mum, and I used 500 Kina to start up my small canteen.
I walked all the way from Mougulu to Tari to buy stock, and then carried it from Tari back to Mougulu.
“I walked all the way from Mougulu to Tari to buy stock, and then carried it from Tari back to Mougulu.
“I would cook some sweet potato and banana, put them in the bag and start travelling at three in the morning. I’d sleep two nights in the bush, the first at Dodomona and the second night in the middle of the bush near Mount Sisa, in a small house made of bark – just a roof only. The roof would leak, and it was hard to sleep. There was no mattress, we just slept on the ground.”
The enterprising 21-year-old now brings in 400-700kg of cargo at a time, which arrives at Mougulu by MAF plane from Tari in 20 minutes. He relies on MAF for this cargo, with support and guidance from missionary Sally Lloyd, who runs the only other store in Mougulu for school fundraising.
“When the plane carries my cargo from Tari, I’m so happy. The difference is—when I would walk from Tari, I would get into trouble on the way. There would be roadblocks due to tribal fights," he said. “And when I would walk, I would get sick, or thorns would poke into the sole of my feet, I would feel unwell and get sick on the way, when carrying all the heavy items.
“But when the plane carries my cargo, when MAF helps me carry my cargo, it’s all right. I feel like it’s helpful and supportive and it’s good. I rejoice in that.”
Before finding a solution with MAF, Otty would journey with three or four of his brothers, making the arduous trek each term break. The final 45-minute portion of the three-day journey to Tari would be travelled by bus.
“At Tari we would buy lighters, torches, batteries, clothes, lollies and biscuits, that kind of thing—and sprays and perfumes for the ladies,” he said. “People want to buy clothes because there is no big store for the students. I would just buy lightweight things because tinned fish and sugar were too heavy for me to carry. I carried the things in a bilum (traditional string bag) or handbag – 20 or 15 kilograms.
When the plane carries my cargo from Tari, I’m so happy.
“Within three years I started to make a profit out of that 500 Kina. I then talked to Herebe Udaga, the MAF Senior Traffic Officer in Tari, and he said, ‘It’s all right, I will try to assist you with your cargo and fly it down to Mougulu’.”
With profits from the canteen, Otty helps his younger brothers by paying their school fees, and for his own.
“When I finish school, my aim is to get an offer to study in university and become an economist. I love maths,” he said.
“For university fees I will try and see what money I have in my pocket. I will try help myself to pay my school fees for the first year and try and see if it is possible.
“God helps me when I pray. God is the provider of everything. He supports me through my journey. Now I’ll be able to graduate for my final year. God is Lord and He will help me, guide me. It’s painful, and it’s a struggle, but as I go, He helps me and protects me, through prayer. He feels how I’m feeling and answers in response to how I feel.”
