Le Projet Mercy / The Mercy Project is a Canadian nonprofit organization registered under the Business Registration Number 802173401RR0001. Founded in 2008 by a group of Canadian volunteers who met through the Concordia Volunteer Abroad Program (CVAP) in Gulu, Northern Uganda, the charity is based in Montreal, Canada. It operates with a mission to support health and wellness initiatives in Eastern African communities, particularly focusing on accessible healthcare and community-driven approaches[2][4].

History

The Mercy Project was established following the death of a four-year-old girl named Mercy, who died of malaria—a preventable and treatable disease—during the volunteers' time in Uganda. This tragic event inspired the founding members to create a charity dedicated to addressing healthcare disparities in vulnerable communities. Originally partnering with the Sports Outreach Ministry in Gulu, the organization expanded its outreach in 2009 to include support for the St. Jude Children’s Home Clinic. Since 2012, The Mercy Project has been officially registered as a charity with the Canada Revenue Agency[4][2].

Mission and Vision

The organization’s vision centers on creating accessible healthcare for the communities it partners with in Eastern Africa. Its philosophy emphasizes:

• Building, stocking, and staffing medical clinics.
• Responding to the expressed needs of partner communities while respecting their agency.
• Supporting international healthcare efforts alongside promoting wellness within Canada.
• Maintaining ethical fundraising practices[2].

Activities and Projects

The Mercy Project is volunteer-run and focuses on several specific initiatives, including:

• Fundraising for sustainable support of midwives in South Sudan.
• Providing financial assistance to the St. Jude Children’s Home Clinic, which serves children in need.

The charity operates by collaborating closely with local partners to ensure that projects are community-driven and ethical[2][4].

Organizational Context

As part of Concordia Volunteers at Home—a division of CVAP—it continues to engage Concordia University students, alumni, and volunteers in social justice and poverty alleviation work. The charity is also listed on Canadian charity platforms, where it benefits from efficient donation processing and tax receipt issuance, facilitating transparent and effective fundraising efforts[2][4].

Le Projet Mercy / The Mercy Project exemplifies a focused, community-oriented approach to international health development, rooted in volunteerism and ethical engagement with Eastern African communities.

[1] https://app.candid.org/profile/12100964 [2] https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/the-mercy-project/ [3] https://my.charitableimpact.com/charities/le-projet-mercy-the-mercy-project [4] https://www.themercyproject.org/mission-vision/our-story/ [5] https://thirdeyemom.com/2014/11/03/project-mercys-community-development-model-is-improving-lives-in-rural-ethiopia/