Mercy Ships field services are always conducted at the invitation of the host country’s government. Through a collaborative process, Mercy Ships and the nation’s government reach a five-year agreement that begins before the field service and lasts for years afterward. This long-term partnership includes preparation for the field service, and follow-up support once the ship has left. Once that agreement is finalized, an announcement will be made through Mercy Ships’ social media and online platforms, and by the country’s leadership.

Thank you for your interest in volunteering! Mercy Ships needs volunteer medical professionals, maritime officers and engineers, teachers, administrators, I.T. specialists, accountants, communication professionals, and so much more. Find your place on board! Together, we can bring hope and healing. View open volunteer opportunities with Mercy Ships.

Please note that all volunteers pay for their transportation to and from the ship’s location as well as monthly crew fees, insurance, and all personal expenses. Crew fees vary depending on the length of commitment as well as the volunteer’s country of residence. Volunteers who do not live or have citizenship in countries considered high-income by the World Bank pay lower crew fees.

Click here to see a sample budget, and learn more about crew fees here.

It’s important that volunteers pay their own expenses on board, so that Mercy Ships can maximize the impact of donations by putting 75% directly into programmatic expenses, like the cost of surgery for a patient who needs it.

Mercy Ships is excited to offer financial aid to crew with commitments of 24+ months and for any crew in qualifying maritime roles. Contact a recruiter for more information, and learn more about volunteering here.

Mercy Ships also has a financial support team to answer questions and support volunteers through budgeting, crew fees, and fundraising. If you have any questions as you think through volunteering, or if you’ve already applied – the Financial Support team is available to assist you. Send them an email or check out their fundraising brochure here.

When the ship is in port, Mercy Ships also engages local volunteers from the host nation to help with various roles, including translation, driving, cooking, and cleaning. Recruitment for these “national crew” positions happens locally in the three to four months before the ship arrives. For more information about when a ship may be visiting your country, stay tuned on mercyships.africa.

For 2023 and 2024, Mercy Ships will be serving in Sierra Leone (August 2023 to June 2024) and Madagascar (February to December 2024). We can only consider patient referrals in the countries where we are currently serving. Mercy Ships works with the government and Ministry of Health in those host nations to make the population aware of opportunities. If you live in those countries, stay tuned for information from local news and government sources.

Mercy Ships provides:

• Maxillofacial surgery: Head and neck tumors, cleft lip, cleft palate, ear-nose-throat diseases
• Pediatric Orthopedic surgery: Club feet, bowed legs, windswept legs, knocked knees
• Reconstructive Plastic surgery: Severe wound scars, benign tumors, chronic ulcers, burn contractures
• Women’s health: Vesicovaginal and rectovaginal fistulas, prolapse
• General surgery: Hernias, goiters, other issues correctible by surgery
  • Pediatric specialized general surgery
• Eye surgery: Cataracts, pterygium, and strabismus

Learn more about Mercy Ships medical programs here.

We can only take patient referrals in the countries where we are currently serving. Mercy Ships works with the government and Ministry of Health in those host nations to make the population aware of opportunities. If you live in those countries, stay tuned for information from local news and government sources.

Mercy Ships employs a very experienced and well-trained team for patient selection. The selection begins with registration through local evaluators, continues through selection events in major cities throughout each country, and concludes with a final selection process on the ship.

Please do not visit the ship in hopes of receiving surgery. Our crew cannot accommodate unplanned visits, and you will not be able to be seen by a surgeon if you come to the ship. If you have not been able to attend a selection event, there is a referral email address you can write to about your surgical need: patient.referral@mercyships.org. For the 2023-2024 field service in Sierra Leone, our surgical slots have all been filled.