The Daughters of Mary and Joseph currently minister in Burundi, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya and Uganda. Our sisters first came to Burundi from Belgium in 1930, working mostly in education and health services. Today we continue our ministeries in Ngozi and Bujumbura. In 1959 sisters came from England and Ireland to work in Uganda.Their first mission was to educate and care for people, so they helped in the setting up of schools and hospitals. Many others sisters came to continue this mission and now we are in 7 different houses in Uganda. Our Ghana mission began in 1973 when a delegation of DMJ sisters came from England and Ireland to help in the formation of a local congregation and to teach in the minor seminary in the Archdiocese of Cape Coast.
In 1977, 1978, 1983 sisters from Ireland, England and California were sent to different regions of Ghana for education in secondary schools, social work and health services in local clinics. Most recently in 1980 sisters from California and Belgium started a community in the North of Cameroon for parish and social work, supporting the local people in their education and healthcare. In 2011 the novitiate was established in Kenya.
Now Africa is a single province and most of the sisters are of African origin. The provincial house is in Mbarara in Uganda.While still involved in Education in the traditional sense, we also have a wide range of ministries including working with those who suffer from AIDS and Hansen’s disease (Leprosy), nursing, social and parish work.
“….We are sensitive to the needs of the time, ready to leave the security of establishment and to risk new initiatives in response to the needs of the church and the world.”
(Constitutions 50)
