Munich Nurse Brings Medical Support Back to Her Home Country Madagascar
Since early November, Fahendrena Vanessa Rose de Lima Body, a trained nurse currently working at Munich University Hospital, has been serving as a volunteer with Mercy Ships
) aboard the hospital vessel Africa Mercy® in Madagascar. This marks Mercy Ships’ fifth field service in the country, and the 28-year-old nurse is scheduled to return to Germany in mid-December when the mission concludes. For Vanessa—who was born in Madagascar—this experience represents the realization of a long-cherished dream: offering vital medical care to the people of her homeland.
Vanessa’s journey to international medical service began in her school years in Madagascar, where she studied German as a foreign language. Her inspiration came from a cousin who volunteered as a translator on the Africa Mercy in 2014. From that moment, she knew she wanted to pursue a medical profession and eventually join Mercy Ships. After moving to Gmund am Tegernsee as an au pair in 2017, she strengthened her German language skills through a voluntary social year, then proceeded to complete her nursing training at the municipal hospital in Bad Tölz. Her clinical experience has primarily focused on anesthesia and emergency care, leading to her current role at Munich University Hospital.
Vanessa speaks candidly about the severe healthcare challenges facing Madagascar.
“In Madagascar, anyone who needs medical attention must pay for everything—treatment, medication, all of it. Most people simply cannot afford healthcare,” she said. “If you have no money, you have no choice but to live with your illness. There is no universal health insurance.”
She notes that while several hospitals operate in the capital, Antananarivo—where her parents reside—the situation is far more difficult in rural regions. Long travel distances, poorly developed roads, and prohibitive costs create enormous barriers to care. “Sometimes people die simply because help is out of reach in the countryside,” she explains. “That is why Mercy Ships is so vital for Madagascar. Donations allow patients to receive life-changing surgeries at no cost, and training programs help local healthcare professionals develop skills that remain in their communities long after the ship departs.”
For Vanessa, being able to serve her fellow Malagasy citizens is deeply meaningful.
“Working with the anesthesia team on board gives me the chance to bridge language gaps. Everything about the ship is unfamiliar to many patients. I help them trust the medical staff, feel safe, and overcome their fears. It is a privilege to offer this kind of support.”
Vanessa will return to her position in Munich in mid-December, shortly before Mercy Ships concludes its ten-month mission in Madagascar.
“Without our volunteers, Mercy Ships could not function,” says Lydia Rieger, Managing Director of Mercy Ships Germany in Landsberg am Lech. “This year alone, around 100 volunteers came from Germany and Austria. On International Volunteer Day, we want to recognize how essential their service is—whether in medical teams, technical roles, or the many other responsibilities that keep the ship running.”
