With a fully operational fleet of state-of-the-art hospital ships, Mercy Ships has been blessed to provide more free surgeries than ever before. Looking back at the work that the volunteer crew of the Africa Mercy® and the Global Mercy™ accomplished, as well as the organisation’s alignment with essential partners towards an improved healthcare system in Africa, the past year stands as a testament to the achievable reality of Mercy Ships’ vision.
2025 marks the second year in a row that Mercy Ships has served two countries simultaneously. While the Africa Mercy recently concluded her second consecutive 10-month field service in Toamasina, Madagascar, the Global Mercy remained in Freetown, Sierra Leone, for her third consecutive field service. This year, over 2,850 unique surgical patients received more than 3,060 surgeries and 4,630 surgical procedures across both ships. The success of this collaborative effort involved more than 3,240 volunteers from over 75 nations, as well as more than 2,120 national crew, working tirelessly to make a brighter future for patients possible.
Meeting the Need, No Matter the Barrier
In a little town in Madagascar, Doxie broke a Malagasy tradition. Instead of waiting two months following the delivery of her baby, she rose from her bed after only three days. How could she expect to wait in bed? Her son, Alfredo, was born with cleft lip and palate, a congenital malformation that would negatively impact his life from the very first breath. And yet, a midwife had just given her hope: Mercy Ships was currently screening potential surgical patients. So, despite tradition, Doxie took Alfredo to be seen three days after he was born to ensure his future.
Alfredo was accepted, but months would pass before the Africa Mercy could dock and begin the field service. By the time she arrived, Alfredo only weighed 2.6 kgs. He was far too small and fragile to endure surgery. Because of his cleft lip, he had been unable to breastfeed properly, and Doxie could not afford formula or hospital care. 75% of the Malagasy population lives below the poverty line and there are only 0.2 physicians per 1,000 people according to the World Health Organisation.
When Doxie arrived at the Africa Mercy with Alfredo, it was not for a single operation, but a true transformative process. Alfredo was placed on the Mercy Ships infant feeding program, which gives sustenance to malnourished children, where he received specialised nutrition and close medical support to prepare him for his eventual surgery. And, when his surgery finally happened and his cleft lip was healed, it finally brought Doxie peace of mind. “My wish for him,” she said, “is that he will study like every other kid and have a better future.”
Many parents across sub-Saharan Africa have the same wish for their children, or maybe even for themselves. As an international faith-based organisation, Mercy Ships’ vision is to bring servant-hearted professionals — from surgeons and nurses to cooks and engineers — directly to the heart of this pressing need, providing relief that is not accessible.
Even so, these Direct Medical Services (DMS), such as Alfredo’s surgery, are only one part of the solution.
A Legacy Continued Through Healing
In a home in Sierra Leone, a young girl named Musu was left scarred by a terrible accident: a hot oil spill burned the left side of her body, contracting her hand and elbow so that her whole arm had very limited mobility. For two years, she struggled in school until her mother, Mamie, brought her on board the Global Mercy. “Musu was so happy,” recounted Mamie when they first heard that healing was possible. “She asked me, ‘Mama, do you believe that they will be able to operate this hand?’ I told her, let’s leave everything to God.”
Musu’s reconstructive plastic surgery was a success! She was soon able to fully use her arm again, unhindered for the first time in two years, following rigorous rehabilitative therapy on board. “You can see the joy in her face as she does an activity that is fun, but also stretching her,” said hand therapist Karen Simpson, admiring Musu’s determination. Karen is one of many fully licensed professionals who volunteer a few years of their time and expertise to make Mercy Ships’ vision a reality; for some, though, this is their life mission.
Such is the calling of Dr. Armah Toko Wilson. A surgeon from Liberia, he was in his final year of training with the Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons (PAACS) when he came on board to participate in surgeries. “The Vice President of PAACS approached Mercy Ships and the two organisations recognised their aligned goals,” explained Dr. Toko. “By late 2023, the partnership was underway, and PAACS residents began rotations on Mercy Ships.”
When Mercy Ships was founded in 1978, the focus was on disaster relief and DMS. As the organisation partners with more nations, the potential for medical infrastructure development could be addressed through proper education and training. In 2025 alone, through diverse programs both on board and in-country, Mercy Ships trained over 838 medical professionals from 13 African countries that include Benin, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Senegal, Nigeria, Malawi, and Burkina Faso. Program participants have accumulated over 228,540 training hours, all to return to their communities as medical leaders ready to make a long-term impact.
“Surgery is about being competent, and now that I’ve participated in nearly 100 surgical cases, I’ve found joy that I have reached a level of competency to be able to handle cases on my own,” said Dr. Toko, one of many local professionals who has been diligently training his hands to bring the same healing that Mercy Ships does.
Hope in Action Has No Limitations
When Mercy Ships partners with African governments, the potential for generational impact is clear. “To know that 3,600 people have benefited from these two years, it’s incredible,” observes Dr. Austin Demby, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Health and Sanitation. What it has done is give the government breathing space to build capabilities, and ensure that, even as we’re building, we’re filling the void of providing services. So, the ship has been a blessing to Sierra Leone, and we are eternally grateful.”
2025 was a year when partnerships such as these showed that positive change can not only happen but will continue to thrive. In collaboration with Freedom From Fistula’s Fistula Care Centre in Madagascar, more than 170 patients received obstetric fistula surgery. In Sierra Leone, more than 15,980 medical patients received care at Aberdeen Women’s Centre through their partnership with Mercy Ships, and over 150 Sierra Leonean healthcare professionals were trained through an ongoing collaboration with Connaught Hospital at the University of Sierra Leone. In Guinea, Mercy Ships’ partnership with Université Gamal Abdel Nasser de Conakry (UGANC) sponsored over 15,290 dental procedures and more than 2,040 dental patients. Collaborations like these ensure that, when the hospital ships leave, hope does not leave with them.
As Mercy Ships makes good on its promises, the power in these years-long partnerships only grows stronger. His Excellency Julius Maada Bio, President of Sierra Leone, invited the Global Mercy back to Freetown back in August 2025. Her current field service will continue through June 2026, after which, she will set sail for the Port of Tema in August to begin a new field service in Ghana. The Africa Mercy will also be returning to Madagascar in May of next year for another field service after an extended maintenance period.
As Mercy Ships looks forward to 2026, with more opportunities to bring hope and healing to people like Alfredo and Musu, as well as education and training to many like Dr. Toko. This would not be possible without volunteers from all over the world, and partners across Africa, who believe in this shared vision that everyone deserves a chance at a life unburdened by treatable conditions.
Mercy Ships and its partner nations are continuing to build a legacy of hope in 2026, but volunteers are needed to help make this mission possible. Do you want to reach beyond borders to make a lasting impact? Come be a part of this amazing transformation and find your place on board!
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