Project office

Each year, the project office chooses educational projects proposed by the different countries.

These actions :
• promote the development of individuals or groups
• benefit the poor population
• try to bring lasting improvement
• develop the learning of autonomy
• create jobs for the laity

Community life and mission progress hand in hand

Once again 2022 begins with uncertainty, but there are many signs of hope if we are willing to look. The Congregation’s educational work with young people and adults is holding course and developing well, securely guided by communities of Sisters and lay people.

The Sisters of Our Lady firmly believe that “community life and mission progress hand in hand”. By remaining closely bound, communities and apostolic projects energise each other and know their direction of travel; community life acts as a base camp for the mission.

A priority for the Sisters is the beauty, quality and sustainability of their living quarters, and their desire that they should provide a centre for hospitality, a meeting place, a presence in the area. 

In this spirit, therefore, we present two new projects for this year.

The first is the building of a new convent in Kolwezi (Congo) at the heart of Saint Peter Fourier School, a project which began in 2016 and is now in full swing. This will allow the Sisters to integrate with the life of the area, to be near the families, and on hand to support young people.

The second project seeks to renovate Sao Pedro Fourier House in Sao Paulo, Brazil, home to a community of elderly Sisters who offer their prayers and life experience to support our educational mission around the world.

The Congregation operates a rolling programme of maintenance and improvement of its properties around the world, that all who live or are educated there, or simply passing through, may taste a little beauty and goodness, the very purpose of these places. May every adult or child feel invited to grow there fully.

We wish all of you a happy new year 2022, full of beauty and goodness!

2022 projects: Renovation work on “Casa Sao Pedro Fourier”

Sao Paulo, Brazil

« A casa das casas , the House of all Houses is the residence for elderly Sisters of the Brazil Vicariate, situated near the district of Morumbi, not far from Sao Paulo city centre. It was built 40 years ago and houses 15 Sisters. The large garden that surrounds it includes a chicken coop and a kitchen garden, maintained by the Sisters, in among all their other activities by which they continue to contribute and to learn. They are also called upon to reflect and give their thoughts on the life of the Congregation.

Major work is needed on rewiring the entire old main building. They will also take the opportunity to install solar panels and an auxiliary generator, in view of the increasingly erratic supply of energy in a country which has suffered several major crises over the last few years. A terrible drought, due in part to the impact on the climate of the destruction of the Amazon rainforest, has left certain sections of the population facing food insecurity. Inflation, which disappeared in the 90s, is back. Large swathes of the Brazilian population are now living below the poverty line. And the authorities’ chaotic handling of the pandemic has not helped matters.

Funding requested:
61700 €

2022 projects: Construction of the Convent at Peter Fourier School, Joli Site

Kolwezi, DRC

In September 2016, Saint Peter Fourier School opened its doors in the district of Joli Site on the outskirts of Kolwezi. Over 2020 you contributed to the provision of new classrooms for the Nursery School. At the start of academic year 2021- 2022, the school roll included 250 Nursery pupils divided into 6 classes (7 teachers) and 630 junior pupils over 11 classes (15 teachers). And this year the School took in its first 120 Secondary students, while waiting to start construction within 2 years of a new building just for them.

For the last 5 years, Sister Yvette, the Head Teacher, and a few other Sisters have been travelling the 9 km from their convent Our Lady of Light to join the other teachers at the school. Together they welcomed children and parents, and developed and cultivated the school into a place where the children feel comfortable and learn happily, in accordance with the Congregation’s teaching methods and particular know-how.

The school has grown substantially in this developing district. A little Community of Sisters, several of whom are studying at nearby Kolwezi University, have expressed a wish to come live on the premises, to be close to the families. Their oresence will consolidate the educational community and promote an ethos of learning beyond the school gates and throughout the whole district. Water from the new borehole will be made available to their neighbours whenever the public water supply fails, not such a rare occurrence these days. The new building will comprise, over two floors, a reception hall, parlour, living room, refectory, kitchen, classrooms, 2 bedrooms with showers and toilets. Also a Chapel to seat 10 people, and open to Christians of the locality.

 
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