Eswatini

St. Philips

St. Philips is a village in the Lubombo Lowveld of Eswatini, about 100 km south east of the capital Mbabane. When the sisters first arrived in eSwatini in 1971, St. Philips was not more than a bunch of huts and there was no paved road.

The sisters started working community care programs to respond to the immediate needs of the population, focusing on mitigating the challenges facing local communities including high poverty, poor health, increasing nutritional needs, lack of education and the need for child protection. In the ‘80s, with the outbreak of HIV, the sister started to take care of the sick and of the many orphans who lost their parents to AIDS. 

Many improvements have been made since 1971, however, poverty remains a major challenge in the area. Economic insecurity and unemployment have increased further in recent years due to climate-related shocks, including severe drought, leaving households ill equipped to care for themselves. The country has also struggled to attract foreign direct investment to boost the economy through new jobs. This has meant there is already very high unemployment, estimated at 40% and as people compete for fewer jobs, the labor conditions deteriorate. 

Health is another concern in the country. In spite of the significant progress in addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic and new infections are declining, the country still has the world’s highest prevalence.  In addition, the country has the highest prevalence of cervical cancer.

 

Ethiopia

The Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (MSC) have been serving in Ethiopia since 1999 to respond to the needs of the most poor and vulnerable in the communities.

The sisters started to work in Wolayta Zone, Southern Ethiopia Region (formerly SNNPR), the region with the largest catholic population, as well as one of the poorest and most densely populated areas of Ethiopia, providing emergency support.

In the years, the service of the sisters has been adjusting to the changing needs of the population, and two more missions were established in the south of Ethiopia, plus a house in Addis Ababa as a foothold for sisters and visitors passing through the capital city.

 

Uganda

Dzaipi

The mission was established in 2019 to respond to the needs of the many refugees who fled from South Sudan, and the host communities.

The MSC responded to the call of the Bishop of Arua for support in the pastoral work with migrants and refugees, and established a community in Dzaipi, Adjumani district, close to the border to South Sudan.

 

United Kingdom

London

Mother Cabrini opened the mission in London in 1902. The school, named after her, was established to provide quality education to the migrants living in the suburbs of London.

With the changes in the social and economic structure of the society, the school was closed in 2023. The building has been transformed into Cabrini Community Campus, a hub offering safe and affordable office space to charities delivering social services in response to the need of the local residents.