B. Apostolate face to socio-economic situations .

There are numerous and varied socio-economic situations which involve Missionaries of Africa. Initiatives for solutions are not lacking, from a social and agricultural training centre, at St. Marie in Wukro, Ethiopia, to the domestic art club in Orange Farm parish in South Africa. Since the 1998 Chapter, however, special attention has been given to questions of Justice and Peace. Either in parishes or among groups of people, these questions are raised to enable a Christian commitment in this area. We can mention some groups of people whose situation interests Missionaries of Africa:

1- Children and Youth.
Apart from youth movements, initiatives are taken to enable schooling and even studies.
The Maghreb communities provide libraries and tuition for pupils and students. (To see IBLA Tunis)

In Uganda, by contrast, Sharing Kampala community is involved with several hundred youngsters full time. Workshops, libraries, sporting and religious activities are just some of the features of this Youth Centre. To see photos

In South Africa, Tanzania and Burkina Faso, and Ethiopia,Missionaries of Africa are directly involved with street children projects.

Every year on the Hill of Encounter in Tionkuy, Burkina Faso, a group of young charismatics spend a year together.

Just about everywhere Missionaries of Africa are taking initiatives to enable young people who are out of school or unemployed to learn a trade. Manzese Parish, Dar es Salaam does this, in providing workshops, as in South Africa, and elsewhere.

Ethiopia:
A confrere is involved in the Qedisti Mariam Tsegenat Centre for street children.
Another is the Director of Bruh Tesfa Youth Development Centre which provides educational, receational and economic facilities for youth (and
particularly girls and young women). Gerry Murphy assists him, part-time in this work. Both these Centres are in Adigrat.

Angel Olaran is involved in a Social outreach programme for orphans, widows, people with AIDS in Wukro. He has set up the Wukro Social Development Program -WSDP, in association with the Diocese of Adigrat.

2- AIDS-afflicted men and women and their families.
Several Missionaries of Africa in Tanzania, Uganda, and elsewhere find inspiration in Youth Alive for educating young people for a Christian attitude to this pandemic.

A good number of Missionaries of Africa take on ministries of compassion and being present for young people afflicted by AIDS.

3- Displaced Persons.

One or other confrere is part of a pastoral team and others are at the service of refugees in Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and Malawi.
In Nairobi Ludwig Peshen directs the programme "Healing the Healers" which offers counselling and rehabilation to traumatised persons from Sudan.

Several others are involved in this apostolate in parishes where they live.

 

There are one-off involvements at the time of natural disasters such as floods, famines, drought. We also have a large presence in conflicts aeras eg the Great Lakes, Ivory Coast.

The Missionaries of Africa have made a councious decision to remaid with the populations affected by war in the DR Congo and other places.

4- An initiative among the Batwa in Burundi (Elias Mwebembezi in Bujumbura and Bernard Lesay in Gitega, in Burundi) (See Voix d'Afrique on this topic)

6- A special commitment at the international, even intercontinental level to be where political and other decisions are taken which affect Africa..
As Maurice Oudet in Burkina Faso (Rice, Cotton etc..)