By Benedict Mukoni
Centre for Research in Religious Life Apostolate (CERRA-Africa) carried out a validation exercise for children research and the importance of education to sisters and how they impact the community at Association of Religious in Uganda (ARU) Secretariat.
CERRA-Africa is a data center that was started about five years ago involved in research but working in collaboration with the Association of the Sisters of Kenya, the Catholic University of Eastern Africa and Tangasa University.
The initiative looks at how the education the sister received has impacted life, at her religious community in terms of generating more income for the individual community and at the wider society of the community; how the impact has been felt.
It also looks at how the impact is changing the society and how it is transforming the lives of people around her and herself as well. There are several studies going on at the same time, but for the impact of education, it is working in three countries; Uganda, Kenya and Zambia.
So far, the CERRA-Africa has enabled the congregations to come up with the policies to bridge the gaps that have been identified in the research that has been carried out and has continued identifying several gaps and looking for interventions assist this improvement.
According to Sr. Therese Njonge, heading the initiative currently, So far with the African Sister Education Collaborative (ASEC) program, there are 150 Sisters that are participating; 50 from each of the three countries. They have been equipped with the skills that they didn’t have such as, monetary skills, skills in technology, among others. So, Most of them are grateful for program.
One of the things that these sisters are equipped with when they enroll is a laptop. They are taught the skills to be able to help them manage their ministries and also educating the students that they undertake. Others are sponsored to colleges to gain higher education.
Sr. Maria Justine Nalule – MSMMC, joined CERRA-Africa in 2024 and she appreciative that it has helped her and other participants to improve on their skills in their different fields of work.
“It has helped me to improve my administrative strategies, especially good relationship, working well with the people, listening skills, and also embracing new ideas from other people. It has helped me to be humble. I have learned that the more I get educated, the humbler I should become to help raise others by sharing my knowledge with them and also improving their leadership skills in the different departments in the school where I work.” Sr. Justine noted.
She adds that as Sisters, they need to be change makers in a peaceful manner by discussing issues, not to force our own skills on others because others have not received the chance which I have received.
The initiative is founded by the Hilton Foundation under ASEC.
