International Day of the African Child

Mercy Ships is celebrating International Day of the African Child (16th June). International Day of the African Child pays tribute to the ten thousand courageous African school children, who marched the streets of Soweto in 1976 in protest against the poor quality of their education. It is also a day to promote the education, identity, welfare, status and other civil rights of children in Africa.

Millions of children in Africa suffer at the hands of poverty, as well as a lack of access to medical care. Forgotten and deprived, many perish.  The volunteers working on board the Africa Mercy –the world’s largest charity hospital ship - offer those children hope and the opportunity to lead a full life.

One year year ago, 10 year-old Benedict Menkoah discovered how Mercy Ships can transform the life of a child. Benedict was born with bi-lateral club feet, a condition which saw his feet turn so far inwards that his toes were facing each other. His feet also rolled forward leaving his soles facing upwards. Although Benedict learned how to walk on the curled-under tops of his feet, he was teased by his peers and abandoned by his parents. Isolated and outcast, Benedict’s sister who is also his carer, found Mercy Ships and in July 2007 his life took a turn for the better.

Mercy Ships gave Benedict free corrective surgery on his right foot onboard the Africa Mercy in Liberia and this year he returned for his second and final operation to have his left foot straightened. Each surgery took two and a half hours.

Benedict’s story is one of a little boy with dreams and ambitions, who wants to be a doctor when he grows up but was physically and practically unable to live a normal life due to his condition. Mercy Ships changed that for him. No longer shy and introverted, Benedict is now a confident little boy with the chance he deserves to grow up and become an educated adult; maybe a doctor.

Dr. Doug Anderson, volunteer surgeon with Mercy Ships who helped treat Benedict onboard the Africa Mercy, said, “Benedict is a remarkable boy and his story is truly humbling. Benedict’s only hope to lead a normal life was corrective surgery. His condition was extreme. It takes a very strong individual to not only come through the surgery, but learn to walk all over again. Benedict showed that strength in bucket loads by combating physical and mental battles. The smile on his face has stuck in my mind and reminds me every day why I went to Liberia”.

Judy Polkinhorn, Executive Director of Mercy Ships UK, said: “Benedict’s story is typical of thousands of other children’s lives in Africa – he had a medical problem, was disowned by his parents and had no hope of leading a normal life. But it also shows, that with the right medical care, a child’s life can be transformed and their hope for the future restored.

“Mercy Ships is not just about physical healing, it’s also about giving people the opportunity to fulfil their potential and we are very proud of that.”

Over the last 30 years, Mercy Ships has worked in over 70 countries providing services valued at more than £350million!