In August San Diego native Jennifer Gerson began her fourth year as a volunteer serving with the global charity Mercy Ships. Along with more than 400 other volunteers from more than 30 nations, Jennifer lives aboard the floating hospital Africa Mercy, conducting field service in the war-battered nation of Liberia in West Africa. Liberia is one of 15 countries in Africa that is targeted for malaria control assistance by the President's Malaria Initiative. A nutritionist by training and a registered dietitian, Jennifer is a member of the ship's community health education team serving in Liberia on a five-month assignment.
Jennifer traveled inland each day to teach disease prevention to students in the small villages surrounding Monrovia, the Liberian capital. These students, volunteers themselves, will in turn become the teachers, taking what they learn back to their communities to share with family, friends, and neighbors. Jennifer began her volunteer service as rainy season was at its peak and mosquitoes at their worst, so her efforts were concentrated on malaria prevention and treatment. Mercy Ships began distributing mosquito nets in June 2007. Recipients must first attend a malaria training session conducted by one of Jennifer's village educators. Jennifer and a teammate deliver the nets personally and help the families install them properly.
"I've always valued being healthy in all areas of my own life: physically, spiritually, emotionally," Jennifer said. "My volunteer service gives me an opportunity to get out into the villages and empower the community to make positive changes in all those areas as well. By getting to know people, showing them love and respect, and teaching ways to prevent deadly diseases like malaria, we hope that lives and communities will be transformed."
