Ms Ruddy volunteered to work as a laboratory technician aboard the Africa Mercy – a 78-bed hospital ship.

The largest charity ship in the world, Africa Mercy and its 400-strong crew is on a ten-month assignment to Sierra Leone.

“Sierra Leone is facing the hard task of re-building after a long civil war,” Ms Ruddy said.

“People born with disabilities or deformities are often considered to be cursed, and sometimes hidden away so their families will not feel disgraced.

“There are also still many casualties of war – burns victims and amputees.

“Most of the nation’s population appears to be under 18 years of age.”

Ms Ruddy heard from a nursing friend about Mercy Ships and its volunteers, and organised her work life and flights for what she described as an exhausting trip

“The experience has given me a different view of the world and broadened my horizons,” she said.

“Being in Sierra Leone is like being in another world.

“The things we take for granted in Australia simply do not exist in Sierra Leone and other West African nations.

“The traffic is unbelievable, there are so any people and the level of poverty is astounding.

“But in the midst of all that, the people are so friendly and thankful.

“It is amazing how they can be so positive and survive in such a country.”

Everyone aboard the ship is there as a volunteer and pays their way to offset the ship’s running costs.

Mercy Ships is a global charity that has operated hospital ships in developing nations since 1978 providing free health care and community development services to the forgotten poor.

While free surgeries are carried out on the ship, other volunteers are at work in the community on a wide range of health, dental, educational and community development programs.