When Sr. Gertrude Tusiime, OLGC, graduated from ASEC’s Higher Education for Sisters in Africa (HESA) program in 2019 with a Bachelor of Education in Geography and Christian Religious Education, she returned to her ministry equipped with stronger teaching skills, enhanced leadership capacity, and a renewed commitment to serving vulnerable youth.
Today, Sr. Gertrude serves as Deputy Head Teacher of Boni Consilii Girls Vocational Secondary School in Uganda’s Isingiro District, where she oversees 46 staff and helps provide education, formation, and vocational skills to 537 girls between the ages of 12 and 18. Many students come from disadvantaged backgrounds, including refugees and youth without parental support. Beyond academics, the school prepares students with practical skills in agriculture, entrepreneurship, organization, discipline, and personal development that help them build brighter futures.
Sr. Gertrude completed HESA through ASEC’s online-onsite model, studying online with Marywood University in the United States while completing onsite coursework at the University of Kisubi in Uganda. Reflecting on her education, she credits HESA with strengthening both her teaching pedagogy and her ability to lead more effectively within her ministry.
ASEC staff visited Boni Consilii Girls Vocational Secondary School in 2025 to see the impact firsthand. During the visit, students Bridget and Sheila shared how Sr. Gertrude’s mentorship has transformed their lives. Both described growing up without consistent parental support and said Sr. Gertrude had become a mother figure who provided encouragement, guidance, and stability. They spoke of learning discipline, leadership, compassion, prayer, and the value of hard work.
Bridget, who was taught Geography by Sr. Gertrude and later cared for by her as a home mother, shared: “She has become my mother. She parents me, supports me, personally as a student and more than a student now … I didn’t know how to pray, and I know how to pray now.”
When facing life’s challenges, Bridget said she often reminds herself, “I cannot disappoint Sister, the way she supports me, the way she encourages me, the way she hopes for me.”
Sr. Gertrude’s leadership extends beyond the classroom. In 2024, she successfully secured a grant from the Hilton Fund for Sisters to expand the school’s piggery project, creating a more sustainable source of income to support marginalized students and refugees. The initiative not only strengthens the school’s financial sustainability but also provides students and sisters with practical entrepreneurial experience that can be applied beyond graduation.
In addition to her role at the school, Sr. Gertrude serves as the local superior of the Boni Consili Kyabiruka Community and remains an active member of the ASEC Alumni Association. Following her graduation from HESA, she was also selected to participate in the African Diaspora Network’s Builders of Africa’s Future program, which supports early-stage entrepreneurs developing community-centered solutions to Africa’s most pressing challenges.
Sr. Gertrude’s journey demonstrates how investing in the education of Catholic sisters creates ripple effects that extend far beyond one individual. Through strengthened leadership, compassionate mentorship, and innovative approaches to sustainability, she is helping young women build the knowledge, confidence, and opportunities they need to transform their own futures and strengthen their communities.
Be a Ray of Hope
Communities across Africa are counting on Catholic Sisters, but 48 lack the education needed to carry out their important mission work. You can be a Ray of Hope for a Sister who needs you by donating to her education today.
This article is addressing the following UN Sustainable Development Goal(s):
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