A Cup of Tea With Sisters: Sharing Stories of Impact Across Africa

On August 27, 2026, the African Sisters Education Collaborative (ASEC) welcomed friends, supporters, and guests from all around the world for a Virtual Cup of Tea With Sisters. The gathering allowed attendees the opportunity to hear directly from sisters from Africa and learn how ASEC programs are creating a ripple effect across the continent. 

Streamed from ASEC’s global headquarters, the conversation featured Sr. Francisca Damoah, SIJ, Regional Director West Africa & Director – Ghana; Sr. Clarisse Remjika Jaiwo, SST, SLDI Africa Coordinator & Director – Cameroon; and Sr. Nancy Kamau, LSOSF, Mission Advancement Development Director – USA. 

From a Seed to a Tree

Throughout the event, Sr. Francisca and Sr. Clarisse used the image of a growing plant as a metaphor to illustrate ASEC’s journey and impact.

Sr. Francisca described ASEC’s founding institutions as the organization’s roots, grounded in faith, collaboration, and a shared belief in the power of education. Today, those roots have grown into branches reaching across 11 countries in Africa.

Sr. Clarisse describes the sisters as the leaves of the tree. Through ASEC’s educational and professional development programs, sisters gain knowledge and skills that they then bring back to their communities and ministries. Like leaves that nourish a growing tree, sisters in Africa use what they have learned to strengthen the people and communities they serve

Education Creates a Ripple Effect

The heart of the conversation featured stories that demonstrate how that impact extends far beyond the classroom.

Sr. Francisca shared a story of a sister in Ghana who used skills she gained through ASEC’s programs to help a group of widows establish a cassava flour processing project. The initiative created an opportunity for the women to earn income and provide for their families, including sending their children to higher education institutions. 

Sr. Clarisse shared the story of Joyce, a young girl in Tanzania whose father initially would not allow her to attend school due to her arranged marriage. Sisters who had been educated through ASEC programs worked with her family and community to advocate for her education along with the education of other young girls in the village. Joyce went on to excel in mathematics and English and has used those skills to help members of her community with business transactions. Her journey has also helped encourage other families to recognize the value of educating their daughters.

These stories both illustrate the central message of the event: when a sister receives an education, the impact does not stop with her. 

Sharing the Mission

The stories shared during the gathering offered a glimpse into the far-reaching impact of ASEC’s mission.  Sr. Nancy shared the benefits of investing in a sister and invited participants to support ASEC’s mission through their generosity.  As part of her invitation, a video that elaborated on the impact of one individual sister in Africa and the ripple effect of her impact was shared. 

The conversation also allowed participants the opportunity to ask questions about ASEC, its programs, and the work of Catholic sisters across Africa. Speakers discussed ASEC’s Sisters Leadership Development Initiative (SLDI), Higher Education for Sisters in Africa (HESA), Scholarship, and Service Learning programs as well as research opportunities. 

Sr. Draru Mary Cecilia, LSMIG, ASEC Executive Director, closed by reflecting on ASEC’s humble beginnings and the faith and collaboration that have sustained its growth. 

Borrowing a quote from Mother Angelica, Sr. Draru shared “…unless we do the ridiculous, God cannot do the miraculous.”

The “Cup of Tea with Sisters”  was more than a virtual gathering.  It was an invitation to pause, listen, and share in the stories of Sisters whose lives and ministries are making a difference across Africa.  When we invest in the education of sisters, we invest in the communities they serve and in the future filled with greater hope, opportunities, and possibilities.

From one seed to a growing tree, ASEC’s Virtual Cup of Tea With Sisters highlighted how education can take root in one person and continue to grow through communities and across borders. 

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