Since 2012, ASEC’s Scholarship Program has been bridging the gap to higher education for sisters by providing scholarships to complete secondary school or higher education credentials relevant to sisters’ ministries. The program was initially founded to address the specific educational needs of sisters in Tanzania, where 65% of women religious lack secondary education. However, since its founding, the ASEC Scholarship Program has expanded to serve sisters in six additional countries.
From 2012-2023, more than 790 sisters received scholarships through the program. Sisters in the Scholarship Program have studied at over 160 educational institutions and represent 119 distinct congregations of women religious.
A 97% retention rate reaffirms that sisters who receive a scholarship successfully complete their programs of study.
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Awarding Scholarships
Sisters apply to the program and, depending on the support of people like you, ASEC awards scholarships to the best applicants. Unfortunately, not all sisters that apply receive a scholarship. ASEC chooses the top applicants to receive scholarships based on merit and available funding. Scholarships are usually awarded for the full length of time it will take a sister to complete her studies, mostly commonly 2-3 years.
ASEC scholarship recipients, clockwise from the top: Sr. Georgette Sawadogo, DDS, Sr. Christine Amaa, SHS, and Sr. Constantine Gema, FSMC, at graduation.
Doctoral Level Scholarships
In 2020, ASEC launched doctoral level scholarships under its Scholarship Program to support women religious in Africa pursuing doctoral degrees at ASEC partner institutions in Kenya. The doctoral scholarship supports sisters through their education and research requirements for a doctoral degree, as well as engages them in professional and learning opportunities. To date, four women religious have participated in this level of the program.
Sr. Janet Christine Kiden of the Missionary Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary (MSBVM) was the first doctoral graduate, earning her PhD in Educational Administration and Planning from CUEA in October 2021.
Sr. Esther Wambui Gitee of the Assumption Sisters of Nairobi (ASN) is pursuing a PhD in Financial Management at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). In addition to her current studies, Sr. Esther teaches business studies and Catholic religious education classes at Maryhill Girls High School in Thika, Kenya; she also serves as their business coordinator. Further, she is an adjunct finance lecturer at CUEA.
Sr. Christine John O. Amaa of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (SHS) is studying for a PhD in Social Transformation at Tangaza University College’s Institute for Social Transformation. Her research focus is sustainable livelihoods and coping strategies among rural men.
Sr. Georgette Sidbewindin Sawadogo of the Donum Dei Missionary Sisters (DDS) graduated from the HESA program in November of 2022 with a Master of Science in Social Transformation. Currently enrolled as ASEC’s fourth doctoral level scholarship student, she is pursuing a PhD in Social Entrepreneurship at Tanganza University College. In addition, Sr. Georgette serves as director of her mission at Sr. Therese Vocational Training Centre and Roussel House in Nairobi, Kenya.
Expansion to Cameroon
In 2023, ASEC expanded the Scholarship Program to its seventh country, Cameroon. An ASEC sponsored survey of congregational leaders in 2020 revealed that the lowest percentage of sisters with post-secondary education reside in Cameroon. ASEC hopes to improve this statistic by increasing sisters’ readiness to enter higher education through scholarships that support sisters at the secondary/form-level. Recruitment to the Scholarship Program in Cameroon is ongoing.
