Mission Diary: DR Congo – An open and available community
Father Clement Kazaku Bosh Bebe tells us about his parish experience on the outskirts of the Congolese capital Kinshasa. After ten years in South Africa, I returned to the land of my ancestors – the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to continue being a missionary among my people. I thought everything would be easier and […]
Kenya: ‘Making Our Dreams Come True’
In northern Kenya, in the Samburu region, many young girls are married off to adult men at an early age against their will. A Centre run by nuns welcomes them to give them dignity and a possible future. Nothing made Lilian suspect that her childhood would abruptly end that day. Returning from school, she saw […]
Education for Girls: A Challenge to Learning Poverty
Despite the extraordinary progress made in the last 25 years, there are still 129 million girls who do not have access to education (32 million in primary, 97 million in secondary). Globally, primary and secondary school enrolment rates are approaching parity (90% male and 89% female). However, the gender gap widens if school completion rates, […]
How Climate Change Affects Girls and Young Women
Drought, floods, abnormal heat waves. Today we are faced with a climate crisis that is unprecedented in human history, the consequences of which are there for all to see. It is primarily the inhabitants of the poorest and most vulnerable countries and, more generally, those belonging to the most disadvantaged social groups, especially women, who […]
Girls and Young Women: Precocious Marriages – Increasing Due to Crises
The terrible drought which – for the third year in a row – plagues the Horn of Africa region and the rise in food prices caused by the war in Ukraine, have led to an increase in child marriages in several countries of the region. The alarm was raised by UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s […]
Girls and Young Women: Broken Lives
The waves break gently on the shore. The crystal-clear water glistens invitingly under the rays of the sun. Eleanor sits on the shore and looks out to sea. Her palms shade her face. Eleanor is twelve years old and she can’t wait to be grown up. Some distance from the sea stands her wooden house; […]
Books: Spring Reading
Three interesting books for this spring. The modern world is built on commodities – from the oil that fuels our cars to the metals that power our smartphones. We rarely stop to consider where they come from. But we should. In “The World for Sale”, two leading journalists Javier Blas and Jack Farchy lift the […]
Senegal: The Colours of the Pirogues
The fishing sector is crucial both for socio-economic stability and for the food security of the populations of the entire region. We accompanied some fishermen on a fishing night. In Soumbédioune, a colourful harbour nestled between the rocks of Medina, one of the oldest districts of Dakar, the bustle is incessant. Lines of women carry […]
World Water Day: The Blue Gold
The earth referred to as the “blue planet”, has more water than land, 70% and 30% respectively. Freshwater resources are essential for all forms of life; they support ecosystems and contribute to civilization. Despite its importance, fresh water is an extremely limited resource. It makes up only 2.5% of the earth’s surface water, with saltwater […]
Africa: Close to the People
Three African women speak of their social commitment Kenyan Catherine Ngila is one of the most prestigious scientists on the African continent. In 2016 she was named South Africa’s best scientist and in 2021 she received the L’Oréal / UNESCO Prize for Women in Science. She was born in Kitui, 61 years ago, the first […]
