Since she was a teenager, Melanie Trujillo knew she wanted to travel and try to make a positive difference, particularly for the poor. After she graduated from Fresno State in 2004, she became a registered nurse at Valley Children’s Hospital, and she has not only made a difference at the hospital but also as a volunteer on the Mercy Ship.

The Mercy Ship is a nonprofit hospital-ship that works in Africa, providing free surgeries and many other services for the poor. Trujillo was a war nurse, taking care of adults and children who affected by civil wars. It was a very rewarding job, but often hard physically, mentally and emotionally.

“I took care of children who had many war wounds," she said.

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