Intercruises backs Mercy Ships' capacity-building effortsIntercruises backs Mercy Ships' capacity-building efforts

Tools for delivering better community healthcare

From technical skills training to improving working conditions, this initiative imparts knowledge, tools and resources to enable local communities to deliver better healthcare on a permanent basis after Africa Mercy has departed.

Intercruises will also help spread awareness of Mercy Ships through the wider tourism industry and provide its own ground handling and port agency services where possible.

'As industry leaders we have a responsibility to support sustainable development, whether it is by implementing environmentally-friendly initiatives, working with local communities or, in this case, supporting those that need it most through a meaningful partnership,' said Olga Piqueras, managing director, Intercruises.

'Mercy Ships brings hope to the forgotten and we are very humbled to be able to offer a helping hand,' she added.

Shared maritime connection

Mercy Ships' Russ Holmes, director of corporate development, noted the charity and Intercruises share a strong maritime connection. It has been said that cruising provides life-changing experiences, and Mercy Ships also changes lives by providing surgeries and treatments to people without access to basic healthcare.

By partnering, Mercy Ships and Intercruises can impact more lives through employee engagement opportunities, campaigns to raise awareness and by building relationships within the cruise industry, Holmes said.

Home to more than 400 volunteers from over 40 countries, Africa Mercy spends up to 10 months a year docked in a location where some medical services are inaccessible or nonexistent.

Care provided to more than 2.71m people

Since its inception in 1978, Mercy Ships has provided free healthcare and life-saving procedures valued at more than $1.5bn, treating more than 2.71m direct beneficiaries in more than 70 countries.