African Sisters Education Collaborative
At the CERRA-Africa Global Research Network Symposium in Nairobi, Kenya, HESA alumnae and ASEC staff presented impactful research, highlighting the vital yet often-overlooked contributions of Catholic sisters to sustainable development across Africa and beyond.
After a life-altering injury, Augustine Kitonsa found healing, purpose, and hope at a center run by Sr. Regina Nakyeyune, GSS, an SLDI alumna using her training to support over 60 vulnerable individuals in Uganda.
After surviving heartbreaking loss and poverty, Angelina Akoth’s life was transformed through a business training program led by Sr. Veronica Biribawa, MCESM, an ASEC HESA alumna, using her education to uplift women in Uganda.
A pioneer graduate of ASEC’s SLDI program, Sr. Theresa Nambaziira, DM, uses her leadership training to mentor others, empower communities across Uganda, and even inspire a Member of Parliament.
Madilyn Grose, a sophomore in Art Therapy at Marywood University, used her creativity and compassion during ASEC’s 2024 Service Learning trip to Kenya, leaving a lasting impact on the children she served, and returning deeply changed by their kindness and strength.
Chestnut Hill College junior Isabella Schmeltzer reflected on her transformative 2024 Service Learning trip to Kenya, where she connected with students, shared teaching techniques, and gained a deeper understanding of culture, faith, and education.
Sr. Catherine Felix Kimario, SCC, a 2023 ASEC Scholarship graduate from Tanzania, is combating antimicrobial resistance by educating patients and ensuring proper medication use at the Holy Cross Health Centre.
As a nurse educator and national examiner in Kenya, Sr. Gertrude Muhatia, SMK, uses her ASEC-sponsored education to mentor students with compassion and professionalism—empowering the next generation of healthcare workers.
During ASEC’s 2023 Service Learning trip to Ghana, Marywood University student D’Ambra Galvin used her music therapy training to connect with children and support local schools—an experience she says changed her life.
At the 2025 Notre Dame Religious Liberty Summit in Dublin, Sr. Draru of ASEC shared a compelling message: true inclusion must embrace individual identity.
In Kenya, Sr. Georgette Sawadogo, DDS, is using her ASEC-sponsored education to fight youth unemployment by creating jobs and empowering young people, especially young mothers, through vocational training and social entrepreneurship.
In Malawi, Sr. Stivelia Macloud, SBVM, used the knowledge she gained through ASEC’s Sisters Leadership Development Initiative (SLDI) to launch an agricultural project that empowers vulnerable community members to break the cycle of poverty through farming.
