ASEC organizes annual Alumnae Workshops in 10 of its countries of operation. These workshops provide professional development and networking opportunities to alumnae of the SLDI and HESA programs. In 2024, Alumnae Workshops were offered both online and in-person. In addition to providing additional skills and training, the Alumnae Workshops provide an opportunity to administer ASEC’s annual Alumnae Survey, through which valuable data is collected. This data highlights and documents the impact alumnae are having on those they serve. Further insights are collected through in-person and virtual site visits and interviews. The stories below call attention to the results of some of the interviews and site visits conducted in 2024.
Technical & Vocational Training in Cameroon
Sr. Vera Bi Kiekiseeh Otia of the Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus (HHCJ) is an SLDI and HESA alum who recognizes the importance of technical and vocational education and training. She has served as principal of St. Pius X Comprehensive and Technical College (SPICOTEC) in Bota-Limbe, Cameroon since November 2023. SPICOTEC is a highly valued institution in the local community, where parents understand the importance of technical skills and want their children to attend so they can be “self-employed and job creators.” The school currently enrolls 250 students annually and employs a staff of 28, all supervised by Sr. Vera.
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Sr. Gertrude Muhatia, a HESA alumna and nurse educator at Kenya Medical Training Center, is shaping the future of nursing in Kenya. Through her training, she empowers students with knowledge, integrity, and hands-on experience, while also serving as a national examiner and member of the Secretariat of Examinations.
Training Future Nurses in Kenya
Sr. Gertrude Muhatia of the Sisters of Mary of Kakamega (SMK) congregation in Kenya, believes that the skills, knowledge, and integrity she has developed serve her best while teaching at Kenya Medical Training Center. A 2017-2021 HESA alumna, Sr. Gertrude is currently a nurse educator and national examiner. She believes that her training through the HESA program was “not a waste.” As a valued member of her team, she aims to empower students through individual and group feedback. She has also become a qualified examination officer and is a member of the Secretariat of Examinations in Kenya.
Sr. Catherine Felix Kimario, a 2023 graduate of ASEC’s Scholarship Program, is combating antimicrobial resistance at Holy Cross Health Centre in Kihonda, Tanzania. Through patient education and counseling, she emphasizes the importance of completing prescribed treatments, safeguarding public health from the growing threat of antibiotic resistance.
Controlling Antimicrobial Resistance in Tanzania
Sr. Catherine Felix Kimario of the Sisters of Christian Charity (SCC) is a graduate of ASEC’s Scholarship Program, having earned a Diploma in Pharmaceutical Sciences in 2023. She currently works at the Holy Cross Health Centre in Kihonda, Tanzania, a facility that serves more than 1,000 patients annually. What she has found through her work is that many of their patients are reluctant to use their prescribed medications or fail to complete their full course, particularly antibiotics. Sr. Catherine counsels patients, educating them on why it is so important for them to follow instructions and informs them of the consequences of not using their prescriptions properly. In particular she emphasizes the dangers of antimicrobial resistance, a problem that has posed a significant health threat in Tanzania. She credits her studies with giving her not only the knowledge that allows her to perform her duties, but also a sense of authority and confidence in herself as she works with her patients and manages the pharmacy’s operations.
