Mercy Manci is a Xhosa sangoma and Human Immunodeficiency Virus activist from South Africa.
Background
Mercy Manci was born in Pondoland, the firstborn of a nine children, in the small village of Hlwahlwazi. At birth she was covered with a white substance, which her mother called a "Netto", which indicated that she was a special child. She was raised by her grandmother, because her mother was a domestic worker in Durban.
Her grandmother was a traditional healer and as a child Mercy would help her prepare muti.
Career
She has participated and presented at conferences in a.o. Cameroon, Nigeria, and Italy. She has one daughter from this marriage.
Instead of returning to her family"s home, she went to Johannesburg and found a job as a Doctor"s assistant.
While she was living in Johannesburg, she fell sick and began to dream strangely. Eventually a traditional healer would confirm that she need to answer a calling to become a sangoma.
Mercy Manci founded Nyangazeziswe, meaning Healers of the Nation, an organisation dealing with African traditional healing and Human Immunodeficiency Virus. She focussed on giving workshops for other traditional healers in the Eastern Cape, but also internationally, teaching them how to use condoms and how Human Immunodeficiency Virus is transmitted. In 2000 Mercy Manci appeared in an episode of Siyayinqoba Beat lieutenant! a television program about Human Immunodeficiency Virus, developed and produced by the Community Media Trust in South Africa.