Serving the People of Africa
Edna Semiti is the Director of Human Resources for the Africa Service Center. With this newly formed division of Mercy Ships in Africa, Edna is thrilled to be on the groundbreaking team that will better serve our crew and patients from the continent.
Edna grew up in both Tanzania and Kenya and comes to Mercy Ships with extensive education and experience. Most importantly, she longs to give back to her society all that she has learned and believes that God brought her to Mercy Ships for a reason.
In this episode, Edna shares the purpose behind the new Africa Service Center, her role in human resources, and her goal to recruit professionals from all over the continent of Africa to come volunteer.
With big dreams and an even bigger heart, Edna shines and will uplift you.
Looking for a way to join our mission of bringing hope and healing? Partner with us through a gift, volunteering with us, or by joining us in prayer.
New Mercies Podcast Transcript
Welcome to the New Mercies, a podcast by Mercy Ships, where we’ll take you behind the scenes and on board our incredible hospital ships that are transforming lives all over the world. We invite you to join us each week as we sit down with our crew, patients, volunteers, and partners to hear their stories of life-changing hope and healing.
Edna Semiti is the Director of Human Resources for the Africa Service Center. With this newly formed division of Mercy Ships in Africa, Edna is thrilled to be on the groundbreaking team that will better serve our crew and patients from the continent. Edna is brilliant, and she comes with extensive experience, but she’s also a gentle, God-fearing woman with a big heart. Get ready to be blessed. Here is my interview with Edna Semiti.
Raeanne Newquist:
Edna, I am so glad that we finally found a time to meet because between the two of us, there’s about an 11 hour time difference me being in California and you in Kenya. Thank you for making this work and welcome to New Mercies.
Edna Semiti:
Thank you so much for inviting me. I’m so happy, so excited.
Raeanne:
Oh, great. Well, I’m really excited too because you have a brand new role. You’re Director of Human Resources for the Africa Service Center and I’ll be honest, I don’t even really know what exactly that is because it’s a whole new department for Mercy Ships. So I can’t wait to hear all about that and what you do. But before we do that, why don’t you introduce yourself, share a little bit about your background, is Kenya home for you?
Edna:
Okay, so as you know, my name is Edna Semiti. And I was born in a town called Monza in Tanzania. So that is south of Kenya. And that’s also because that’s where my father comes from. And then I grew up in Tanzania, and Kenya as well, because also my mother is from here in Kenya. So I am born of parents from two countries, have grown up in Tanzania, in Kenya, studied in Tanzania, and in Kenya, and I got married in Tanzania, got my children in Tanzania. And now I’ve moved back into Kenya for the last 10 years, living closer to my mom. Yeah, so that’s who I am. In terms of my background, I finished my university in the year 2000. And I graduated from a course called a Bachelor of Arts in Communication. I majored in public relations, and I did a minor in community development. And I focused on child psychology. But when I started off, working, I started off as a marketing manager, I moved into public relations, then I moved into training. And then I started off my journey in human resources in 2006. And I’ve been on that journey since then.
And now I’m feeling more motivated to give all the experience that I’ve gained all these years back to society and build myself to be like a coach for children going to school so that they can learn job skills and grow up to find inspiring jobs in their future. I’m a Christian, I love Christ. My life in Christ started when I was 16. Although it’s not been perfect. I’m actually the reason why Jesus Christ died, I think, breaking all the rules. You know, if it was in the Old Testament days, I think God would have said, Enough, that’s it. No more grace for you. Because even as I give my life early in my years, I have years lived in church, given my life, my time in singing in choirs and worshiping God and growing as a Christian, but still, that sinful nature in me didn’t give me a break throughout my life. And I’m a real testimony that God’s grace is real.
Raeanne:
Aren’t we all? I mean, not one of us is perfect.
I think that you bring so much experience. And I am thrilled to know that we have people like you on board with Mercy Ships, because you bring so much to the table. And I love that you are African. And we work in Africa. And it’s so important to have Africans on our team and working for the organization. Because really, you have the insight you have the knowledge of your own continent. And this is very important and very special. Why don’t you tell us how you heard about Mercy Ships and what drew you to the organization?
Edna:
I think it was just God leading me into what He wants me to do at Mercy Ships. I came across the name Mercy Ships in 2020, I was researching how different organizations are using transport tools, you know, vehicles to do mission work and NGO work, because I was thinking of using a bus to have a classroom where I teach on career guidance. So as I was researching, I came across Mercy Ships, and I saw they use hospitals to provide surgical equipment and services to people who need it. And then I just continued with the research. And at that point, I was during the COVID days, so work had become so slow. And I said, seeking God, what do you want me to do next in my life and my career and God led me to this website where I saw work as a human resource director. And then I saw Mercy Ships, and I was like, Oh, that’s a familiar name. And I applied for the job and here I am. It was a miracle. That’s all I can say.
Because when I just logged into the website, it was like the first job description that came on my face, I read it, and I liked it. God opened that door for me, since coming in, I have loved Mercy Ships so much. I love the values. You know, it’s the first organization where I felt like the values are actually describing the person that I am and the things that I stand on, like, loving God, love and serve others, be a person of integrity, be a person of excellence, these are also my own personal values. And it’s the first time in my life coming across an organization, I felt their values, organizational values are actually connected to who I am as a person. So I really feel blessed to be here.
Raeanne:
Wow, that’s great. Edna, tell us what exactly you do in addition to telling us about the Africa Service Center.
Edna:
The Africa Service Center is the brand new baby of Mercy Ships. So the short form is, it’s the center that will be stationed in Africa, where all the coordination for the national offices, the in country operations, the ISC, can be able to feel like there are people who are doing something useful in the continent of Africa. In the Africa Service Center since I joined this February, what we’ve been working on is making sure the right people are sitting in the right spaces where jobs are needed, implementing the right training programs for the people who are in the places where they are, and doing all the HR work. So my work in the Africa Service Center is human resources, bringing in the right people, training them, doing the performance management.
And of course, I coordinate with the ISC. And I work very closely with our country directors. As per the conversations I’ve had with Bernard, I understand we will have the center in Senegal. So there is going to be an actual building in Senegal, we will have a physical office where people can actually sit in the office and where we will have training and where we will have meetings. There can be meetings, as you know, right now, the presence is in Mercy Ships is recognized to the ship when the ship is in service. And then the other projects that are happening within Senegal, but when the ship goes, those projects that are left in the country are actually left to be coordinated either by the Africa Bureau or the ISC, so sometimes there are time zone issues. So we’re trying to close that gap by ensuring that these corporate offices, let’s call it a corporate office within Senegal, so that the projects within Senegal, the ones in Guinea, in Madagascar, Sierra Leone, wherever else we have active projects, they can feel there is a close contact within the continent of Africa. When the ships are being prepared to come to any country within Africa, there can be people who are on site who can help them with the coordination and the preparations. So that’s a big dream.
Raeanne:
I think it’s brilliant because it is hard to coordinate everything coming from the United States. And I know we have a lot of national offices around the world. But to have a solid service center on the continent of Africa, it just makes complete sense. So I love this dream. I love that it’s starting to be actualized. What specifically is your role? We know your title. But what are you doing to make this happen?
Edna:
The first thing is just to be there, actually.
Raeanne:
Are you going to move to Senegal?
Edna:
I want to! I have three babies, big babies. My first one is 25. My second one is 21. And my last one is 16. And I’m kinda in the empty nests stage. You know? Yes, because they’re older kids. In the university studies, the much older one is graduating this year, so he’ll be job hunting soon. My teenager is in boarding school. So I see him every few months, except for visiting and maybe three weeks of holiday. So I’m mobile.
I visited Senegal last year. It was amazing during the Africa celebration, I saw both the GLM and the AFM. I lived in Senegal for a week and I don’t mind the weather. Dakar has beautiful weather. It is just a beautiful city.
Raeanne:
What was it like for you to see the ships?
Edna:
I had never seen a big ship like that. You enter a ship and you just feel like you’re in a hotel, a very sophisticated hotel. I was blessed to see the hospital side in the GLM. I couldn’t do that on the AFM because we had a number of restrictions then. But at the GLM, I was able to see the hospital as well. It’s so beautiful and to just see all those people who contributed. Yes, you know, and when you’re walking in the GLM, you see all the people who contributed in one way or another, a certain family gave for this ward, or this number of beds, you know, or this clinical area.
And it’s just so humbling to see how God’s people are giving so that people who are not able to pay for surgery can actually get it free of charge. It was so humbling to also meet the crew, the different volunteers from all over the world, people from Africa. I even met Kenyans there. People from different parts of Europe, and all of them are just God loving people serving God, giving their time and everything so that people who need medical care receive it. It was so humbling, to be honest, what a humbling experience. I loved it. And my love for Mercy Ships just grew more.
Raeanne:
You know, we’ve said many times that anytime you go aboard one of our vessels, it changes you. And even to be a visitor even to only be there are a week. It just does something to you. It’s just a very, very special place. Whether it’s on board the Africa Mercy or the Global Mercy, there is just something so special.
Raeanne:
What are some of your goals or your dreams that you’re hoping to accomplish in your role in the Africa Service Center?
Edna:
I’ll talk about HR, because that’s my area. So my number one vision is to use a Africa Service Center to develop strategies to attract professionals from all over Africa to come and volunteer on the ships. I would love to see that happen. I want to bring in the volunteers, onboard them, send them out on the ships. I want people to know that if they need to have any information about how to volunteer on the ship, how do I go about it, then at the Africa Service Center, we can be able to provide that information, it can be able to maybe even simulate some of the experiences that people have, so that it helps them make decisions about when they can commit a certain time in their life to come and serve either for short term or long term. So that’s my number one vision, to be the channel for growing interested in the African continent professionals who can give their time and they can give their money to come and serve on the ships. I pray that they will happen. Let’s pray together.
Raeanne:
Yes, absolutely. And what is the second thing you had mentioned? There was a second thing?
Edna:
Yeah, the second dream I have is that the in country operations, they can feel that there is a strong HR support close to them. I really appreciate the IOC for being able to stand in and provide the support. I acknowledge the gaps, especially when it comes to time zones. You know, most of the in country operations are awake, when the operations at the IOC are asleep. Maybe meetings will take place later than it normally should. And I hope that the Africa Center can actually be that resource for the in country operations when it comes to various needs. I need somebody to tell me about the labor laws of this country, I need to have this handbook looked into and updated or I need a handbook altogether, I need an orientation for this new person or training needs to take place. So I hope the ASC can actually be that support center for the in country operations, the country directors, Operation directors, when it comes to people management issues. So those are the if I could say pillars, those are the two pillars I have in my mind.
Raeanne:
Well, I think it’s brilliant, because first of all, as you mentioned, really recruiting more people from the continent of Africa, more Africans to come serve. There are so many highly trained, highly skilled, accomplished Africans, that kind of like a lot of places in the world, they just don’t know about Mercy Ships. So to have the Africa service center with an intention of educating the continent more about Mercy Ships, and then inviting them to get involved, I think is absolutely wonderful and brilliant. But then also, as you’re saying, to be the in Africa kind of support center, rather than having to deal with the time zones, but to be the people there to help those who are in country serving. I just think that’s brilliant. So I love this vision. Tell us how you’ve seen God moving thus far. I know your time with Mercy Ships, has only been really a handful of months right now. Yet, we know that God is not bound by time. And I know He’s moving and working all the time. So how have you seen Him working thus far?
Edna:
I’ve seen Him working in our leaders in, making sure that people in Africa receive the surgical care that’s needed. I have been watching very keenly on social media, the kind of pictures that we see of our patients, the state they’re in when they come in. Sometimes I follow even the photos that have been taken out in the field, the state of our patients where they are today, and the dire situation they are in because they can’t afford the medical care that they need. And yet, when they come into contact with our medical professionals, our volunteering community on the ships, they’re able to receive this redemption. I’ve listened to several YouTube confessions and testimonies from patients who have benefited from the services being offered by Mercy Ships, and for me all I can say is God is moving, because I’m particularly thinking about this young lady who I think her mother said that her legs were so misshaped, and she stopped going to school. And as a career guidance enthusiast, for me, it just struck me — she was alive, but her future is cut off because she can’t educate herself. She can’t gain the job skills and what kind of future is that. And by God’s grace, that feature was able to be given back to her after the surgery. And I actually remember saying a prayer for that young lady saying, Lord, I pray that the purpose you have in her life, because you brought this miracle in her life, may not disappear. She grew up to be a woman who brings redemption to many people, because redemption is also brought to herself.
Internally, the work I do with my colleagues, you know, the first thing that really touched my heart was when I started off, and my manager would say, let’s start with a word of prayer. And getting a bit emotional for me, you know, just being able to allow God to be praised and spoken about. And I feel like I’m seeing God. Because all my life, I’ve actually always wanted to be in a space where I can honor God with everything I do. Remember, in my past teacher practices, I did try to start prayer meetings in the offices where I worked. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t, because we were different. And maybe because also, the work environments are not really allowing God in the spaces. Here I am in Mercy Ships where God can be in my conversations, even in very serious corporate conversations, even where we feel like we’ve come to the end of the journey, where whatever we’re trying to solve in the meeting is not working out, we can say, let’s, let’s talk to God about this issue. You know, I have seen God there as well. And the love that is being shared within Mercy Ships by the very many community members, especially for me, particularly, you know, when I came in, it was a bit confusing, how am I supposed to maneuver around, understand my work, understand the processes. And God brought to me some very loving people who gave me the support that I needed to just stabilize as I grew within Mercy Ships.
Raeanne:
That’s wonderful to hear, and how freeing for you to be able to express your faith freely in your workplace, and to have that support and encouragement from the people that you work with.
Edna:
Yeah, it’s wonderful. I find that to be so amazing. Even my kids have mentioned that to me. Because sometimes they hear me when they are in the sitting room, or maybe passing by, and they can hear me saying let’s pray, or they can hear someone say let’s pray and praying. And they’re like, oh, man, you know, you are in a workplace where we can actually pray. And I was like, Yeah, this is God. This is truly good.
Raeanne:
Well, what are some of the needs of the Africa Service Center? And how can people get involved?
Edna:
We need an office. We need that physical office. And there’s good progress. But we do need a place like today I was in interviews, and people are excited to come to the Africa Service Center in the actual physical office. And I’m like, not yet. It’s coming. So we need an office and may God open the door for us to get that office as quickly as possible, and set it up.
I do appreciate the support that I’ve received from the IOC so far, you know, I have different team members who sit in meetings with me and we figure things out together. So I really appreciate that. And I just see that this is how they can continue to support us because we are the brand new baby in Mercy Ships. And we need that nurturing mentorship. You know how to build our systems and processes, how to just engage and even open up so that people can feel like they can participate and be useful within our operations.
On the HR front. I am so grateful for team members like Heather and Shelly and Whitney, and their teams. I’m grateful for Ebi because he meets me and he mentors me regularly on that process. I’m grateful for Tammy who really steps in every time I have a question. She’s just there for me, and Michelle and the team and recently a new team member came in and he’s just working miracles for me. So this is how we are getting involved together. And I would encourage them to continue being involved with us. I’m so grateful for the International Programs team, Michelle, and Aaron, because they keep pulling us in. So, so grateful for the country directors, I can’t really forget them. They’ve been awesome. You know, I actually want to give a shout out to them. I want to shout out to Dr. Sandra, to aspirant to kids, you know, I just want to you know, give them a shout out and even my manager, Mr. Barnard, I really want to give him a shout out for being there and mentoring me and supporting me. So this is the team that we are working within. And we do need that support of mentorship, coaching, and leadership so that we set up a state of the art center that can support the national offices and the ISC and the ships.
Raeanne:
Well, you are lucky to be a part of such a fabulous team, so many wonderful people coming together with a common goal, and bringing skill sets and talents from all over the world to accomplish one thing, and that is to bring hope and healing. So I’m so grateful for you and I’m so grateful that God brought you to work with the Africa Service Center to really pioneer this new chapter of Mercy Ships. And thanks for being willing to educate us a little bit today. And to get to know you. This has been wonderful.
Edna:
Yeah. Well, I hope it’s been helpful. And I’ve really enjoyed it. Thank you so much.
For more information about Mercy Ships, go to mercyships.org, and to keep up with the guests on New Mercies, follow us on Instagram at NewMerciesPodcast.