Celebrations in Tanzania

Region of Tanzania celebrates Silver Jubilee and First Profession.

The OLA Sisters in the Tanzania Region held a special celebration on August 6th to mark the Silver Jubilee (25 years of service) and a first profession.

The celebrations took place in Bugisi, home to one of the three OLA communities in the east African country. The ceremony included the first profession of Sr. Elizabeth Marwa. Sr. Kathleen McGarvey, OLA Provincial Leader, represented the Irish Province while Sr. Mary T. Barron, Assistant General, represented the OLA Generalate.

OLA Sisters Mairead Hickey and Deanna Donohoe arrived in Mwamapalala, northern Tanzania, in May 1991. They were joined a year later by Sr. Sally Forde (RIP). In May 1994, Sr. Anne McCormack along with two Ghanaian Sisters set-up a second community in Bugisi. A third community was later established in Mwanza in 2005. Presently, the focus of the Sisters is on education, pastoral works and health, with a particular emphasis on responding to the HIV/Aids epidemic.

In November 2015, Tanzania became a Region within the Irish Province and Sr. Emmanuelle Ohumaeghbulem became the first Regional Leader. Last year also marked a symbolic moment when Sr. Donatha Urassa made her first profession and thus became the first OLA Sister from Tanzania.

Click here to read an account by Sr. Anne Cahill of the history of the OLA Mission in Tanzania.

Below are some photos courtesy of the Provincial Archive. These were taken in the early 1990's at Mwamapalala.

Srs. Mary T., Mairead, Deanna, Anne, Regina, Lucy, Sally (RIP) and Mary A. (Provincial) outside Mwamapalala Convent.

Pictured (from left): Fr. Fionbarra, SMA with Srs. Mairéad and Deanna in language school.

Sr. Mairead with George whom she helped to learn the skills of shoe repair.