My Mercy Box

My Mercy Box is a Norwegian documentary series for children and families, produced by the production company TV Inter. The original Norwegian title is Fride på Skipet and the series was aired at the childrens network NRK Super, spring 2010. The first of ten episodes was broadcast 8 April 2010. Its about eight year old Fride Tvedt, living on the hospital ship MS "Africa Mercy", which sails along the coast of West Africa in an humanitarian effort for the Christian organization Mercy Ships. Frides father is a dentist and her mother is a nurse. Frides older brother and sister also live on board.

Over ten episodes, the audience can follow Fride and her family on board the ship and on trips within Benin. Each episode ends with Fride writing a postcard to her grandmother in Norway, as she goes to bed. In the final episode she goes home to see Grandma.

The show had excellent ratings and was among the most popular children's TV series of spring 2010, with up to 80% of all viewers between the age of 2-12. It was also the most watched program on NRK Supers web site at the time.

1.nov 2010 the series premieres on dutch tv network KRO Youth. The local title is Fride op het schip. In Holland it will be sent once a day, as opposed to once a week. It was also shown at the childrens film festival Cinekid in Amsterdam on the 29.oct. 2010.

17.november 2010 the DVD is ready for the Norwegian market. It can at present be preordered at platekompaniet.no. Nordic World is also presently selling the series to networks worldwide, by the international title My Mercy box. Fride came up with that name herself, as she thinks the ship, Africa Mercy, looks like a box.

Director and producer: Thomas Dubourcq