Entrepreneurship not Deviation from Mission, Catholic Sisters in Africa Told, Urged to Look into Self-Reliance

“We are not moving away from our mission. You are not moving away from your mission. Actually, your mission is to serve the people. Even with entrepreneurship, you are going to serve them, and you will serve them better. Entrepreneurship becomes paramount,” Fr. Mapulanga said.

He highlighted the values of compassion and empathy, virtues he said are common among religious congregations, stating that all such values remain intact even with a shift toward entrepreneurship.

SBVP is an initiative of Strathmore University Business School (SBS) in collaboration with the Association of Consecrated Women in Eastern and Central Africa (ACWECA) and is supported by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.

The project that is being implemented in Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, and Tanzania has been designed to support Catholic Sisters in developing sustainable social enterprises.

The initiative follows a survey commissioned by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation in early 2021, which highlighted issues Catholic sisters encounter in their ministries, including insufficient funding, limited leadership abilities, and challenges in maintaining financial and organizational sustainability.

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The project is aimed at improving the Sisters’ capacities, connecting them to networks, and providing them with information hubs, as well as robust financial services.

The graduation of Sisters in Zambia was the fourth in a series of graduations in the four African countries, where the Catholic Sisters’ Social Entrepreneurship Program is being implemented.
The third graduation took place in Kenya on September 27, the second one in Tanzania on September 19, and the first one in Uganda on September 4.

In his October 22 address, Fr. Mapulanga described social entrepreneurship as an approach to social problems through innovative and sustainable solutions. 

“This type of addressing should be through innovation,” the Zambian Priest noted, and added that social entrepreneurship “should be sustainable and, of course, involve entrepreneurship.”

Giving examples of agriculture and food production, hospitality and tourism, as well as craftsmanship and artisanship, the Catholic Priest explained that social entrepreneurship combines business principles with a social mission to create a positive impact.

He reflected on the importance of understanding business practice, stating, “We shouldn’t shy away from discussing the economy, even the budget.”

“Social entrepreneurship aims to identify, design, and implement solutions to social, environmental, or economic problems. It involves community engagement and participation,” he said in his October 22 address.

The Caritas Zambia official said that social enterprise is not a new initiative noting its longstanding presence in Europe, where he said monasteries have combined their spiritual mission with entrepreneurial activities.

He urged the sisters who had just graduated in social entrepreneurship to use the skills learned to engage in innovation, saying, “Think of a business idea. Think of how you can improve existing businesses.”

Fr. Mapulanga also urged the graduates to embrace their mission without fear, adding, “What has changed is the way you look at things. You want to include entrepreneurship in how you do your mission.”

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“Let us harness the power of social entrepreneurship to create a brighter future for our congregations and our mission,” the Zambian Priest said.

Silas Mwale Isenjia is a Kenyan journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communication from Moi University in Kenya. Silas has vast experience in the Media production industry. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.