Meet the Incredible Cook: Danielle Andriaharilala

Welcome to the most delicious food in Toamasina, available exclusively at the Hospital Out Patient Extension (HOPE Center), prepared and served by an incredible team of eleven cooks lead by Danielle Andriaharilala.

With a patient and caregiver population over two hundred, along with the OBF Clinic and the Dental Team, Danielle and her crew produce over 3,000 meals in a week, and that is just lunch and dinner!

Over this past summer the existing kitchen was expanded to accommodate a new freezer and provide more working space. Also, a few months into the field service, an additional sheltered area was built for the added coal buring stoves that are used to cook all the food.

So approximately how much rice does it take to serve over 3,000 meals in one week? Remember, this is Madagascar. Danielle cooks 1 ton of rice every week along with fresh vegetables, Zebu, fish, pork, chicken and a wide variety of the local seafood!

Danielle has been a cook for 25 years. Before the arrival of Mercy Ships, Danielle catered weddings and sold food to shops and bakeries.

Thank you Danielle and team for your dedicated service to the guests, crew and day crew of the HOPE Center. You have played a vital role in the healthy recovery of our patients and have done so with excellence, joy and humility.

Written by: Martha Rodriguez, HOPE Center Manager

Other Blog Posts

The Woman Who Forged Her Way Through Walls: Florence Bangura’s Story

Florence’s journey from oldest to newest Mercy Ship came full circle when she met the Global Mercy™ in 2023, the same year that the purpose-built hospital ship began welcoming its patients on board. Today, you can find Florence, now 49 years old, down in the engine room as a hotel engineering assistant.

Transforming Sierra Leone’s Healthcare: A Vision for Safe and Affordable Surgery

As experts from the surgical and healthcare world gather for the 64th Annual Conference and Scientific Meeting of the West African College of Surgeons in Sierra Leone this week, a profound dedication to advancing surgical knowledge and practice in the region is palpable. At the forefront of discussions lies the conference’s pivotal theme: access to safe and affordable surgical and anesthetic care in West Africa. This theme highlights the pressing need to address disparities in healthcare capabilities and capacities across the region, especially the critical importance of equitable access to quality surgical interventions.

The Africa Mercy Arrives in Madagascar to Bring Hope and Healing Anew

Freshly refitted hospital ship, the upgraded Africa Mercy® has arrived at the island nation to build on the charity’s longstanding collaboration and will provide specialized surgeries in various fields, including maxillofacial and ear nose and throat, general, pediatric specialized general, pediatric orthopedic, cataract surgery, and reconstructive plastics. 

Reuniting with Vanya, Years After Surgery

In 2015, in an operating room on board the Africa Mercy while docked in Madagascar, the course of Vanya’s life changed.
Years have now passed since Vanya’s journey toward healing. In the time since, her improved ability to walk allowed her to return to school, where she loved studying environmental science and learning about the world around her.

Christmas-Thank You Message from Darryl Anderson

Darryl Anderson shares his thank you message after Christmas to express his gratitude for your support and dedication to our mission.

Kadidja: A Future as Bright as her Smile

At Mercy Ships Canada, we serve those who have lost hope, bringing healing and transformation. Our volunteers, inspired by their faith, work selflessly to perform surgeries that renew not only bodies but also faith and hope. This Christmas, be a part of the miracle by making a donation to Mercy Ships Canada. Your contribution will help renew faith and offer a second chance at life. Together, we can make a significant impact on those who have suffered for too long.