African Sisters Education Collaborative
The Sisters Leadership Development Initiative (SLDI) program equips Catholic Sisters in Africa with essential skills in administration, finance, technology, and leadership. Graduates emerge as confident leaders, ready to inspire and uplift their communities through innovative self-reliance projects and improved ministry services.
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.
Utilizing skills from her SLDI training, Sr. Lucy Kanjira Kirichia, RGS, a member of the first SLDI cohort in 2007, has expanded to serving over 1,600 individuals, demonstrating the profound impact of her dedication and the SLDI program on her community.
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.
Networking, team building, and relationship building activities led to a successful 2024 SLDI Partners Workshop.
The 2024 ASEC Night of Storytelling: Creativity was a great success!
Sr. Elizabeth Wambui Gichuki, DHM uses the skills learned in the SLDI program to help over 3,000 children, their parents, as well as others.
African Sisters: Leaders In Action (ASLA) investment in alumnae projects has allowed ASEC Alumnae Sr. Caroline Nanyi Acha, SST, Sr. Sophia Agnes Asiimwe, MSMMC, and Sr. Mathabo Jacintha Sefali, SCIM to make an impact in their communities.
At just 12 years old a Maasai girl captivated participants at the 2024 SLDI Partner Workshop and represented the impact delivered by ASEC sisters
The ASEC Service Learning Program resumed in 2023, with students from Chestnut Hill College and Marywood University traveling to Ghana for three weeks, where they engaged in volunteer work, cultural immersion, and academic study.
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.
