ACWECA: Religious Women Formators in Africa Up for Offering Holistic Formation

Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA

After following capacity building programs in their various countries, some Religious women formators have shared with AMECEA Online their appreciation of the knowledge gained to be able to offer holistic formation and remain relevant in the contemporary society.

The formation programs spearheaded by the Association of Consecrated Women in Eastern and Central Africa (ACWECA) a regional body of Religious women congregations comprising of 10 English speaking countries including Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, identified six national Associations of Sisterhoods to help implement the programs by empowering those in formation together with formators and leaders of the congregations.

“After attending a workshop organized by the Association of Sisterhoods of Kenya (AOSK) on healing of trauma, skills and techniques, I feel more competent in my ministry on how I can help those I am journeying with,” Sr. Lillian Atieno a member of the Missionary Sisters of the Holy Family told AMECEA online in an interview Thursday, January 21.

According to the nun who has been a formator for five years, when a formator is spiritually empty and has little or no knowledge in a specific issue, she will not be helpful to those being formed hence the importance of being refreshed on skills and techniques of formation.

On her part Sr. Consolatrix Owiti a member of the Franciscan Sisters of St. Anna (FSSA) who attended the same workshop affirmed that those being formed open up to formators who are motherly and understand their ministry well.

“Those who join the congregations have their own wounds which need to be healed. Without that motherly concern and the competency to understand what the person is undergoing, it is a challenge to heal them and they don’t open up to share their experiences,” Sr. Consolatrix disclosed.

The Kenyan nun has encouraged AOSK leadership to continue with such refresher courses for formators to help them fully embrace the apostolate and serve with confidence.

According to the ACWECA Coordinator for Leadership for Mission program Sr. Christine Wairimu, the Conrad Foundation funded the ongoing formation program which has helped the six Sisters’ Associations’ formation institutions. These include the Association of Sisterhoods of Kenya (AOSK), Association of Religious in Uganda (ARU), Tanzania Catholic Association for Sisters (TCAS), Association of Women Religious in Malawi (AWRIM) Zambia Association of Sisterhoods (ZAS) and South Sudan Sisters Association (SSSA).

Sr. Wairimu, a member of Sisters of Emmanuel (SE), noted that amidst Covid-19 challenges, the National Associations of Sisterhoods managed to carry out various programs some of which were conducted online including workshops for community superiors, Sisters preparing for final vows, vocation animators workshops and training of trainers.

In a report shared with AMECEA Online, AWRIM empowered formators on the criteria of accompaniment and evaluation of candidates to join Religious life which according to the Association’s Secretary General Sr. Marie Blandina Kamba “is a necessity for the journey of faith and provides clarity and guidance for decisions and service for one’s life.”

Sr. Kamba, a member of the Presentation of Virgin Mary Sisters (PVMS) adds in the report that “accompaniment of candidates which should begin immediately the candidate joins the congregation is a source of encouragement, courage and hope and rooted in the life of Christ.”

“Our duty as formators is to accompany the young ones. We are expected to tell them the truth so that when they join the congregation they don’t feel cheated,” Sr. Bernadette Kapito who attended a workshop in Malawi aimed to empower formators on accompaniment and evaluation said in an interview.

Sr Bernadette who is a member of the Daughters of Wisdom (DW) added that formators “have to visit the families of the candidates to understand their background from their homes.”

“The workshop was an eye opener and I realized that the visitations to the candidate’s families is a significant process in understanding an individual,” Sr. Kapito disclosed.

She underscored that collaboration as formation team is key and the need to invite parents to the congregation to enlighten them on the life of their daughters is equally significant.

The ACWECA formation program is ongoing and the Sisters Associations are keen to carry the programs to end amidst the challenges of Covid-19 pandemic.