SSpS Mission in Ethiopia

Alemtena, a barren almost desert land, was the first community in which our inexperienced hands and hearts took root. The first four missionaries moved to our house in June, 1995. By May, 2001, we had already grown to a Region. Our beginnings were humble and poor – a tiny seed that fell into the vineyard and it grows slowly but steadily.

Sr. Edita Vera (Argentina) – Alemtena Clinic: Work in health ministry is similar throughout the area. The clinics work under the license of a “health station”; however, actual cases are comparable to hospital situations. Maternity delivery cases are well managed in our clinics. Different kinds of diseases are treated, based on laboratory results and reading the signs and symptoms of out patients. The Waragu Clinic has many night emergencies most of them related to injuries due to fights among the tribes. The clinics are also engaged in health education and immunization programs.

Sr. Anna Trzepacz (Poland), Sr. Kavita Paulose (India) – Waragu Clinic: HIV/AIDS: The spread of HIV/AIDS is a threat to the family and the social life of the community. One can observe the increase presence of the disease from several perspectives – increase deaths form clinically diagnosed infections, such as TB; harmful traditional practices; common practice of polygamy and multiple sexual partners; and alcohol abuse. Efforts are made to alleviate the problems related to HIV/AIDS; however, many programs are limited to “awareness” and are not disseminated to the majority of vulnerable groups in surrounding communities. An inter-religious committee has been formed to address the problem. Efforts have been made to improve a comprehensive plan to include voluntary counseling and a testing center (VCT Center). Home-based care and orphan care are important components of the plan.

Sr. Mary Stella Alappat (India): Sr. Stella serves at Wolisso Hospital as Matron. The hospital is owned by the Episcopal Conference of Ethiopia and is supported by the Conference of Major Religious Superiors. In her position as Matron, Sister Stella has introduced many good changes among the hospital staff.

Sr. Judyta with the Children: Sr. Judyta Ligieza (Poland) is principal of a Kindergarten in Badessa (southern Ethiopia). Children and women are among the most disadvantaged people in the 49 villages of the area. Small children are often left home to keep watch on the cattle, goats and sheep without ever receiving any education. Women are bound to household work.

The Kindergarten, located on the compound of the Badessa Catholic Church, has an enrollment of 100 students under the supervision of our Holy Spirit Sisters.

Sr. Benigilda Ladia
does “Gender Mainstreaming” in Badessa:
To reduce the workload of women in the town and surrounding villages of Badessa, the Catholic mission, through GMA (Group Missionary of Africa)’ established an electric grinding mill managed by three women and a male operator. At the moment, Sr. Benigilda (Philippines) supervises the project. Sister has introduced a systemic structure for management and the women are trained and empowered with simple accounting skills.
Changes have also been made in the work environment (provisions for water and sanitation) so that it is an appropriate work place for its personnel and those coming to be served by the project.

The Catholic mission also provides opportunity for women to grow in their role as “giver and nurturer of life” through the weekly integrated, preventive health education program.
Other programs designed to improve the role of women include a common project that generates income using the skills the women have in handicraft-making and food production. The women groups use their potential in small business management and realize the value of savings. They are also developing a new project involving extension of water pipes to their homes that will help them produce vegetables for family consumption and for selling.

Sr. Maria Anjelin Mersi (Indonesia): Sr. Maria Anjelin supervises many different activities of the Church in Alemena – irrigation projects; roof- catch water collection for farmers; fishery, poultry, and beekeeping projects; development of seeds and cuttings for farming; improved sanitation and waste disposal; training programs for farmers in animal raising; deep and shallow well water projects; fluoride water treatment to prevent teeth and bone deformation; improved housing; and literacy and non-formal education programs.

Sr. Lovely Thomas (India): Sr. Lovely Thomas is engaged in parish ministry. She serves on the Parish Council, guides youth programs, and takes part in the men and women associations. Sister is also the Peace and Justice coordinator for the Vicariate, organizing formation courses for ecumenism and providing workshops on justice and peace.

Sr. Monika Poláková (Slovakia): Sr. Monika works in Chole, in collaboration with the Consolata Missionaries. Sister conducts a Kindergarten for more than 100 children. Along with supervising the teachers, Sister also promotes a woman’s center for cutting and sewing and a typing course for young girls. The mission sponsors an English course for young children frequenting the high school in town.
In the Waragu community, Sr. Monika guides young women in Bible sharing and morality classes. Under her guidance, a number of girls have expressed the desire to join the SSpS Congregation.

Sr. Luzia Schmuki (Switzerland) – Integrated Health Program for Mothers and Children: This project provides preventive health services in ante-natal care, immunization for mothers and children, health education programs including HIV/AIDS prevention, and community empowerment skills that assist in organizing communities. The Gender Sensitivity Program works with the community to fight harmful traditional practices, such as female mutilation, in families.

 

 

 

Sr. Maria Jerly Renacia (Philippines): Sr. Maria Jerly works at the Vicariate level as secretary to the local bishop and as coordinator outside the country in order to trade the different products provided by the women in the self-help centers.

 

 

Sr, Sheeba Mathew (India) – Promotion of Micro-enterprises Program (PROMIC): The primary goal of this program is poverty reduction by enabling poor, rural women to carry out micro enterprises with the assistance of loans /credit. The project helps women to help themselves; reduces their dependency on their husbands; makes women economically and socially secure; and improves their educational status and health. Through this program women are involved in various small-scale business enterprises; dairy, poultry, and vegetable farming; and fish production.
Fight Against Harmful Traditional Practices (HTP) Ethiopia is “rich” in Harmful Traditional Practices (HTP). Among the existing practices in Ethiopia are Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), cutting of small tongue of the children under the age of five, feeding butter to the new born, removing the milk teeth, burning both sides of the forehead, and so forth. The SSpS, working with the women in Ethiopia, are fighting against these practices. Inherent in this work is the difficult task of eradicating shame and pain.