SENEGAL |
SENEGAL |
RNDM PRESENCE IN SENEGAL
To express what presence in
Mission is for us RNDM in Senegal,
what better symbol can we find than the "calebash" – a practical
and
beautiful vessel.
A "calebash":
Fruit of the earth
Gift of the rains
Ripened by the sun
Emptied to receive all, to resonate the rhythms of celebration
The calebash is present in the life of the Senagalese people from birth until death … in all the ceremonies of life. It is also simply there every day, for the life of each day. The calebash is open to receive, to listen; it is ready to pour out freely as gift all that it has received. A calebash circles in communion and has the depths of prayer. May we be calebashes for the people we have been missioned to here in Senegal.
Population - 8.3 million
Religions - Islam:94%; Christian (mainly Catholic) - 4.9%; In country areas, still a strong influence of Traditional Religion.
Languages - French (official language); Six officially recognized national languages of which Wolof is widely used.
Literacy - 30% (significantly less for women).
There are two RNDM communities in Senegal: 1) Mboro in the region of Thies and 2) Ndondol in the region of Diourbel. The Sisters arrived in Mboro September 22, 1971. On October 18th of that year kindergarten was opened and on November 8th a Dispensary was opened. Two years later (1973) was the opening of the Parish Primary School.
The new mission at Ndondol was opened September 26, 1984. In 1996 the Sisters celebrated 25 years of presence in Mboro and Senegal. At present there are 5 Sisters living and working in Senegal one from each of the following five countries: Australia, France, Peru, Central India, and New Zealand.
During 2000 we started to welcome some younger Sisters who have made their first commitment in their own country, and for whom it is now time to experience an international mission in preparation for their act of final profession.
By the end of 2001 we had with us two sisters from Kenya, two from Vietnam and one from the Philippines. They are experiencing life in an RNDM international community, and work in a mission and culture totally different from their own. After two years with us they will return to their own countries to reflect again on their call to RNDM missionary life and to prepare for Final Profession as a Sister of Our Lady of the Missions.
Health: Dispensary; Mother/child health care groups; Nutritional program; Vaccination program; Formation of health workers; Health education and animation in villages and schools.
RNDM
DISPENSARY, MBORO
Photo: Waiting area at the Mboro dispensary.
The people start arriving at the dispensary from
early in the morning, having walked in the cool of the pre-dawn to wait patiently for
their turn.
There will be anything from 150 to 250 patients each morning, depending on the time of the
year.
All types of care are provided –
maternity, accident and emergency, infections, dressings.
The dispensary has a FWD vehicle to
take the staff around to the villages for vaccinations and other health programmes, and to
take serious cases on the two-hour drive to the nearest hospital.
The dispensary has its own laboratory
and can do all the basic analysis work needed for care of infections and of the blood.
Photo:
Report from Senegal – Mother and Child Health Programme <from Sister Patricia Boyd>
Here
in Senegal we are blessed with the support of generous friends who have helped us over the
years. One of these dear friends is Carein Roselaars-Phumers. Carein returned to her
native Holland two years ago and with friends there has set up an NGO (non-government
organization) which presently funds three different projects in Senegal. One of these
projects - the responsibility of our Sisters at Ndondol – is concerned with nutrition
and other health related activities in the villages around Ndondol.
Madame Philomene Dione works with seventeen groups of mothers with infants aged 0-30 months ( total – some 850 women). At the monthly session with each group the babies are weighed and Philomene presents and discusses with the women a specific health topic. Sometimes she demonstrates the cooking of a meal for the children. Children identified at the weighing session as being malnourished are brought to the Centre each week; here the mothers received further advice and a small quantity of enriched food, vitamins etc. The women make a small financial contribution for each session – their families often have little or no cash income.
Carein’s NGO is funding this work for a year – meeting the cost of Philomene’s salary, helping with vehicle costs (fuel and maintenance), and establishing a credit fund to initiate and support group activities e.g. buying stocks of local produce to be processed ready for cooking.
Philomene’s own words are a warm testimony to her own commitment and to the generosity of our friends who enable this work to continue: "What makes me happiest about my work with the women is when I see their response in action. Also I know that, since we started the mother/child programme, the survival and health of the babies has improved so much. Above all I enjoy the stimulus of the direct contact with so many women, in this milieu where I belong, with all the links of our family relationships. As well as being able to influence the way the mothers care for their children, I can also use the opportunities to improve relationships between the women themselves."
Pre-natal visits
Sr. Amala and Sr. Dorothy
Most families in Ndondol - an isolated rural area - have no books to help with their children's education.
One of the fruits of the 18 years of the Catholic development project in Ndondol is that the parents have an increasing awareness of the importance of education for their children. The number of children going on to secondary education is steadily growing but the resources are very limited.
With the help of RNDM Solidarity Funds the Sisters set up a small library of reading and resource books for the secondary school teachers and pupils in Ndondol. The Sisters used one of their own rooms and the school Principal and teachers encourage their students to use the library for research and borrowing.
Sister
Elsie Valenzuela d'Acosta (Peru) watches Samba Dieye sign out his book.
Sister Patricia Boyd (New Zealand) who is responsible for the buying, helps
Youssou Sène select something for his research.
Pastoral: Catechumenate; Catechism classes; Sacramental programs; Support of catechists; Women's groups; Vocational group; Home visitation; Support of small Christian communities.
Michel, Sr. Yvonne - Mboro
ASSOCIATES AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:
Senegal does not offer an Associate program at present. They do offer volunteer opportunities especially in the health care area.
Notre Dame des Missions - Regional Co-ordinator
Mission Catholique
BP 57
MBORO
Senegal, West Africa
____________________________________________
VOCATIONS
We have a contact Program for girls and young women interested in the RNDM way of life and charism. For the past two years we (Senegal RNDM's) have welcomed 3 of our Kenyan Novices on apostolic missionary experience and next year (2000) we will have the joy of welcoming RNDM Temporary Professed Sisters from Kenya, the Philippines and Vietnam.
Anyone interested in more information regarding vocations in Sengal contact:
Notre Dame des Missions - Regional Co-ordinator
Mission Catholique
BP 57
MBORO
Senegal, West Africa
