Doreen Ajiambo

Catholic sisters in Kenya offer support to elder men and women who have been driven from their homes —  if not killed —  following accusations of witchcraft from those eager to take their land.

Celebrations continued despite a suspected suicide bomb attempt near the Munyonyo Martyrs Shrine in Kampala. 

The annual Martyrs Day event is one of the largest religious gatherings in Africa. But this year, with a new pontiff, celebrations took on renewed urgency and global resonance.

The Uganda Martyrs Shrine at Namugongo, where 22 Catholic converts were executed in the 1800s, has become a living sanctuary of intercession for pilgrims.

"It's a sacrifice — just like the one Jesus made for us," said Sr. Stella Aketch "The Ugandan martyrs also gave their lives for their faith. Walking like this is my way of honoring their courage."

They discussed leadership, youth, peace, and climate issues, and pledged to strengthen collaboration, self-reliance, and support for the poor across the continent's religious communities. 

Pope Francis brought a powerful spotlight to the issue. Sisters hope the new pope will continue that momentum.

Religious sisters said that Francis consistently demonstrated a profound concern for the poor in Africa, reflecting his broader commitment to the marginalized worldwide. 

"Women and children are suffering the most from the war," says a nun based in Goma, Congo. "They are subjected to rape, and their dignity is being eroded, with little they can do because the perpetrators are armed."

Catholic sisters, a priest and a bishop spoke to GSR about how they help migrants in South Africa rebuild their lives and integrate into a society that has been hostile to foreigners.

The recent fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a significant escalation of a decadelong conflict, has led to nearly 3,000 deaths and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people.

"Raising Resources for Healing Ministries" gathered religious sisters and a network of organizations and experts dedicated to supporting the work of religious sisters who are essential to health care in Africa.

Under Scalabrinian Sr. Marivane Chiesa's leadership, the Bienvenu Shelter in Johannesburg is a safe space where women not only find refuge but also gain access to resources that lead them toward self-sufficiency.

In 2003, Muia established Upendo Village, which is now a modern facility designed to support people living with HIV in low-income communities, about 60 miles northwest of Nairobi, Kenya.

The Sisters of Notre Dame, along with other congregations in Tanzania, play key roles in the fight against child trafficking by raising awareness and traveling to rural communities to educate village elders, women's groups and youth groups about trafficking experiences and dangers.

"The climate crisis is not gender-neutral. Women and girls disproportionately bear the brunt of climate change, yet their voices remain largely underrepresented in climate decision-making," said Jemimah Njuki, U.N. Women's chief of women's economic empowerment.

Debate about how much money countries should direct toward addressing climate change has overlooked the massive spending on weapons and wars, say faith activists at  the U.N. climate conference in Azerbaijan. 

As the U.N. climate change conference reached the halfway point, faith groups appealed for countries to set an ambitious new target to finance the transition to clean energy and adaptation measures for a rapidly warming world.

Zambia and other African nations are grappling with an extreme drought, worsened by the effects of climate change. One possible funding source Zambia has waited to access is the loss and damage fund, established in 2022 under the United Nations. 

Catholic and faith representatives will join global leaders and national delegates Nov. 11-22 in Baku, Azerbaijan, host to the United Nations climate change conference, COP29.