Who are you trying to help? What issue are you trying to address?

Every day, over 20,000 African children die from diseases linked to poverty, malnutrition and correctable birth defects, such as cleft palates and lips (UNICEF – 2004). Most of these deaths are preventable. Those who survive often become outcasts, rejected by their family and society, denied even basic schooling because of their condition. Many of these African children will grow up never having access to adequate medical care.

Mercy Ships, an international faith-based organization, has a mission to increase access to health care delivery throughout the world. Through the Africa Mercy, the world’s largest non-governmental hospital ship¸ Mercy Ships partners with professionals in host nations to help fill the gaps in health care systems, while serving the dire and immediate needs of their population.

What is your project and how will it help?

Mercy Ships provides curative surgical interventions and community based preventative health strategies, working with health authorities to build capacity and provide sustainable development of local medical personnel and facilities. Collaborating with qualified local and international partners, Mercy Ships projects provide practical and holistic support to developing nations striving to provide health care access for all.

Please read the attached document to find out more about our projects.

How can other people partner with you on your project?

Mercy Ships solicits private donations by individuals, foundations and grant making funding sources as well as partnering with companies by way of goods donations (Gift-in-Kind) and substantional discounts.

By partnering with Mercy Ships, companies can gain access to new audiences, demonstrate corporate social responsibility and increase PR opportunities. While many donations of equipment and essential medications and replenishable supplies have been secured from medical and pharmaceutical companies, operational costs of the Africa Mercy include marine fuels, dry dock expenses, maritime licenses and insurances, continually need to be met. These operational costs are partially addressed through crew fees paid by volunteers and ship overhead costs apportioned to each medical or health program through funding proposals.

In addition, we are looking for companies to partner with us in the provision of training programs, such as African surgical fellowships, African surgeon training and mentoring, biomedical technician training, hospital administration training, and other health care worker programs, increase local capacity for the long term. Again, the secure environment is particularly conducive to medical training. Trainees do not have to worry about the day-to-day necessities involved in running a clinic, including the availability of clean water and electricity. Each trainee is able to focus on the instruction, maximizing the quality of the sessions. Increasingly, Mercy Ships is working to improve and expand medical training and instruction.

Please detail the resources that you need.

The operational costs of the Africa Mercy include marine fuels, dry dock expenses, maritime licenses and insurances etc. A portion of operational costs are addressed through crew fees paid by volunteers and ship overhead costs apportioned to each medical or health program through funding proposals.

Currently, these operational costs are not fully met through these sources and the balance is accommodated by the Mercy Ships general funds. This places a strain on the annual budget and specific support for the balance of operational costs is sought through this proposal. Partnership in the operational costs of the Africa Mercy equates to partnership in EVERY PROGRAM delivered through this vessel.

Funding Need

The annual budget for these costs is estimated to be $ 6,104,991. Mercy Ships will contribute funds of $1,783,668. The funding balance required is $ 4,321,323.