Most of us
African sisters have been fed on mystical, traditional fears of knowing what is going on with our bodies yet a health check-up is very important especially for women over 35 years of age.
This was part of the reason why, in 1999, leaders of the founding congregations of four Pennsylvania colleges--Marywood among them--got together to try to find a way to educate more African sisters.
Munley said the meeting with the leadership of sisters who founded Rosemont College, Neumann University and Chestnut Hill College sparked ideas that eventually evolved into the African Sisters Education Collaborative, a nonprofit organization that is based at Marywood and runs training programs in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia.
From another side of the globe, we are Canadian grandmothers, arriving at the end of our gathering enlightened, resolved, humbled and united with our
African sisters."
Fearing to try out new styles, clothes or even acquire a new past-time, update educational qualifications or visit new places, is common amongst many
African sisters. Go on, take that recipe and try to cook it, or try a cuisine in a restaurant from an exotic place.
Beyond that she is the chairperson of an organization of
African sisters that spans nine nations, called the Association of Consecrated Women in Eastern and Central Africa, or ACWECA in short.
Although the three have contributed more than $1.5 million in goods and services to the West
African sisters, the participating congregations describe the true gifts exchanged among the four groups in terms of relationship-building, reconciliation and a better understanding of their mission as Franciscans.
"Our idea is to get women in North America and Europe to stay in solidarity with their
African sisters," she said.
We look at abuse as an issue for all of us--not just a problem for
African sisters or white sisters.