African Sisters Education Collaborative
With the support of ASEC’s HESA program, Sr. Caroline Wambui Gachoki, SMI, earned her Master’s Degree in Administration and Planning in Education—gaining the knowledge, confidence, and leadership skills to make a lasting impact in her community.
Sr. Jackline Mwikali Mwongela, an alum of ASEC’s HESA program and Project Manager at Religious Against Human Trafficking (RAHT) in Kenya, has been empowering women and children to rise above human trafficking through prevention, protection, and partnerships, while offering hope to survivors through education and holistic support.
Sr. Grace Akunna John-Emezi, HHCJ is transforming health awareness in African communities through her dedicated advocacy for breast cancer education.
Sr. Vera Bi Kiekiseeh Otia, HHCJ, principal of SPICOTEC in Cameroon, leverages her ASEC education to expand access to technical and vocational training, empowering youth to become entrepreneurs and job creators.
The Higher Education for Sisters in Africa (HESA) program has helped education for women religious in Africa make strides, despite education for women in Africa facing significant barriers. In 2023, over 200 sisters graduated from HESA programs, overcoming challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic and contributing to their communities’ development and gender equality.
At the St. Joseph’s Center, Sr. Magreth currently serves as a Direct Support Professional, assisting in caring for adults and children with disabilities. She continues to utilize the knowledge and skills she gained from the ASEC Scholarship program and HESA on a daily basis. She feels grateful for the opportunity to serve across the globe and remains connected to the ASEC alumnae network, attending virtual ASEC Alumnae Workshops annually despite her placement in the United States.
Collaboration is central to ASEC’s mission, exemplified by partnerships with educational institutions and national conferences of religious across ten African countries, all aimed at empowering Catholic sisters through education, as highlighted in the 2023 HESA Partners Conference.
The Higher Education for Sisters in Africa (HESA) program empowers Catholic sisters in Africa by providing access to post-secondary education, resulting in over 1,144 graduates across 24 partner institutions in 10 African countries and the U.S.
On September 27, 2023 ASEC participant Sr. Josephine Muthoni Kwenga, SJT won a People’s Choice Award for her Sustainable Agriculture Project in Kenya.
The 2023 HESA Partners Conference took place in Nairobi, Kenya from June 13-17th.
We measure the impact of education through qualitative data by interviewing ASEC sisters, both those current students and alumnae. Through learning their stories, we can connect the dots between education and transformation, both within the sisters and their communities.
DMI-St. Eugene University in Zambia is the first partner university in Africa to have been founded by religious women.
