Provide Opportunities for “gifted students” from Poor Backgrounds: Catholic Nuns Running Schools in Tanzania Told

He added, “In schools, support the gifted students who are unable to pay their school fees. When you have these children from poor backgrounds succeeding, your congregation’s impact will be felt by the communities you serve.”

The Catholic Priest, who previously served as the Vice Chancellor (VC) of St. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT) for 10 years, observed that schools run by Catholic Sisters in the East African country rarely offer support to the needy.

Credit: ACWECA

“Catholic Congregations in Tanzania have some of the best performing schools in the country. The only shortcoming of these schools is that they only admit children from wealthy families,” Fr. Kitima said during the September 19 graduation of the Tanzania-based beneficiaries of SBVP, a program jointly run by the Association of Consecrated Women in Eastern and Central Africa (ACWECA) and Strathmore University.

He gave the example of Strathmore University, which he said had turned into a world class university because of the model it has that supports needy students. “At some point, the university shared with me that it admits 6,000 students, and that 25 percent of these students are from needy families and are supported by the university.”  

Credit: ACWECA

“Here in Tanzania, most of our schools run by Sisters’ Congregations cannot support even two percent of the student population. Few donors will be ready to collaborate with a school that supports only two children out of a population of 600 students,” he said, and added, “If you want your schools to have an impact, be ready to support the poor who surround you.”

28 Catholic Sisters, most of them running hospitals and schools in Tanzania, graduated from the program that has been designed to equip Sisters with entrepreneurial skills.

The SBVP is a capacity building initiative in developing sustainable social enterprises benefiting some 40 Religious Orders of Catholic Nuns in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia; it is realized in partnership with the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.

Credit: ACWECA

The graduation at the Serena Hotel in Dar es Salaam Tanzania was the second in the series of graduations that ACWECA and the Strathmore Global Institute have organized in the four African countries where the Catholic Sisters’ Social Entrepreneurship Program is being implemented.

20 Catholic Sisters in Uganda graduated in the program at a ceremony that was held on September 4 at Speke Resort Munyonyo in the outskirts of Uganda’s capital city, Kampala.

The next graduation is to take place on September 27 in Kenya, and then later in Zambia at a date to be communicated.

Credit: ACWECA

According to the implementers, the project aims to improve the Catholic Sisters’ capacities, connect them to networks and provide them with information hubs, as well as robust financial services.

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Speaking on behalf of those who graduated in the program, Sr. Beatrice Ekisa, a member of the Sisters of Charity of St. Charles Borromeo in Tanzania, expressed gratitude to the implementers of the programme, noting that ACWECA in particular had “identified a need” among Sisters’ Congregations.

Sr. Ekisa said the skills the Sisters had acquired would enhance their capacity in running their business “in a more strategic way to ensure growth and sustainability” and increased “return on investment.”

Credit: ACWECA

“During this program we have gained skills on strategic management, human resource management, financial management, business management as well as problems solving and decision-making skills all of which will be of great support in ensuring sustainability and growth of our projects in Congregations in Tanzania,” Sr. Ekisa said.

In her address during the September 19 event, the Secretary General of ACWECA, Sr. Bridgita Samba, expressed optimism that beneficiaries of SBVP in Tanzania had had “an experience of a lifetime.”

The member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Mombasa (SSJ) lauded the SBVP as “a unique” project that she said is building the capacity of Sisters to effectively run and manage their social enterprises.

Credit: ACWECA

“You will also concur with me that the process you have undergone has been very enlightening, pushing you to go beyond the limitations you have had so far, and spread your wings to be able to properly manage your resources, fundraise for your projects, work on the sustainability of your enterprises, as well as network with others whose knowledge, skills and practice is in line with what you aspire to be in the next five, 10, 20 or even 50 years,” Sr. Bridgita said.

She said the partnership between ACWECA and Strathmore University Business School seeks to see Catholic Sisters in the region shift their thinking in the way they do business. 

“We desire to see Sisters networking for the benefit of the communities they serve,” the Secretary General of ACWECA said, and added, “We envision a Society where Catholic Sisters, through their Social enterprises, are uniquely impacting on the society and influencing the development and advancement of humanity.”

Credit: ACWECA

“We look forward to a society where the dignity of every individual is promoted, thanks to the social and economic impact driven by the faith that Sisters have in God and in humanity,” the Kenyan-born SSJ member further said. 

In his remarks during the September 19 event, Strathmore University VC, Dr. Vincent Ogutu, reminded the graduands to ensure that their social enterprises impact the societies they serve, especially by drawing people closer to Jesus Christ.

Dr. Vincent Ogutu. Credit: ACWECA

“Whatever you do in your social enterprises will impact the lives of many people. But most importantly, your work will draw more people to Jesus Christ who will want to know the source of your great love,” Dr. Ogutu said.

He added, “At Strathmore University, we use all our gifts and talents to serve God.”