A nine-year-old girl can now reach for the stars—literally and figuratively—after life-changing surgery from international charity Mercy Ships restored movement to her arms. Years earlier, severe burns had left them fused in place, drastically limiting her mobility.
For Annica, from the Amparafaravola District of Madagascar, simple daily tasks like getting dressed, raising her hand in class, or brushing her hair had long been frustrating challenges.
As a toddler, she suffered severe second-degree burns on her arms after wandering into her aunt’s street-side restaurant, where food was being prepared and sold.
“She ended up sitting on the pot’s lid—it was a big cooking pot,” recalled her mother, Felicia. “The lid slid, and she fell into the pot. I cried every morning when I looked at her. I thought my child would not survive this.”
The accident burned her back, torso, and arms. Her recovery was complicated—first by the sudden transfer of her nurse, then by a visit to a traditional healer that worsened her condition, and finally by a serious infection.
Eventually, her parents sought help in the district capital, where a missionary nurse treated her for eight months. But by the time she healed at age three, painful contractures had formed, severely restricting movement in her arms.
As she grew, Annica relied on her mother for even the most basic tasks, such as putting on a dress or fetching water. At school, she struggled to do what her classmates could easily do—run, play basketball, or write on the blackboard.
“She was a bit reserved among her friends, and it created an inferiority complex,” said her teacher, Charles. “She didn’t have the courage to do anything.”
With five other children to care for, her parents grew increasingly anxious about her future. They even considered taking out a loan for surgery.
“Because we couldn’t afford it, we thought about asking for financial support from people,” said her father, Tojoniaina.
Then, they heard about a neighbor who had received free surgery from Mercy Ships in 2015. When the Africa Mercy® returned to Madagascar in 2024, Annica was able to board the hospital ship for free reconstructive surgery.
Her procedure was complex: surgeons performed skin grafts to restore mobility and prevent the contractures from returning.
“With her initial injury, the burn areas got infected and some of the skin died,” explained Dr. Venter, a volunteer reconstructive surgeon from South Africa. “We had to bring new skin from other parts of her body to cover what she’d lost, so she has enough to avoid being pulled back into the old deformity.”
For six weeks after surgery, Annica’s arms were in splints, and she wore pressure garments to help remodel her scars. She continued with rehabilitation under the care of American volunteer physical therapist, Kaylee Earll.
“She was very determined to do everything herself,” Kaylee said. “She wouldn’t take any help from her grandma. When you can’t run because your arms are stuck to your side, and then suddenly you can—you feel free.”
Just before leaving the hospital, Annica received joyful news: she had passed her final school exams. That meant she could complete her final year of primary school and move on to secondary school the following year.
Her homecoming was a moment of celebration, marked by a family dinner.
“She combs her hair, she can take off her clothes… now, she can play basketball!” her grandmother beamed.
Her father was overwhelmed with gratitude: “I thought she was never going to be able to do those things,” he said. “I’m very happy—because now, it feels like she was never burned.”
Annica, who dreams of becoming a teacher, is embracing her independence and looking forward to what lies ahead.
“I’m happy because I can reach high,” she said. “I want to write at the top of the board and clean the top of the board.”
Her teacher shared in the hope: “She’ll be more confident now because she no longer has problems with her arms. We can support her to reach her goals—and she can work hard for them, because there are no more obstacles.”
