Hamadou was 4 years old when he came to the Africa Mercy® in Senegal. By then, he had learned to cope with the physical limitations of his cleft lip, a gap in his upper lip that impacted his ability to swallow and eat, as well as how his teeth were growing. But the cleft lip continued to hold him back socially, even within his own family. People in Hamadou’s community drink their water from a large pot that they share with other members of their household, as well as any guests. “People would not want to drink from the same water pot as him,” said his mother Hawa. While Hamadou was isolated in some ways, his mother was always by his side providing constant support.

In any profession, mentorship and knowledge sharing are at the heart of empowering good workers to become great ones. This is especially true in the medical field, where skilled practitioners are responsible for providing exceptional care to those who need it most. In 2022, when the Africa Mercy® visited Senegal for a 10-month field service, over 50 medical professionals participated in training and mentorship programs to hone their skills and improve patient care. The very last of these professionals was Sawdiatou Mbodji, who joined the ship’s nursing team for one month of mentorship.

Twenty-nine-year-old Talla Gueye, from Senegal, ventured into entrepreneurship hoping to find solutions to youth unemployment in his community. He has always been a take-things-into-your-own-hands kind of person: “Taking charge and seeking change to problems motivates me,” he says.  So, he started a clothing brand that would inspire and empower young people in Senegal. He named it Sigui Doxx, a term in his native Wolof language that translates to “keep your head up.”  His mother inspired the deep care for community that drove him to social entrepreneurship, as he grew up watching her exemplify compassion.   “Whenever she cooked, she put out a huge plate of food for anyone in the neighborhood. She also invited relatives who were struggling to stay with us.”   Now, Talla brings that empathetic approach and entrepreneurial attitude to his work with Mercy Ships, where he started off translating for volunteer medical crew providing free surgical care in Senegal.