Stories

August 2024 - The School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) live and minister in five countries on the African continent: Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Sierra Leone and The Gambia. Alumni, colleagues and friends share their personal stories of how SSND have impacted their lives. Read their reflections »

June 2024 - For Martha Mendy, working with the School Sisters of Notre Dame was a great opportunity for collaboration and giving back to the Notre Dame School, Soma in The Gambia, for the significant impact the sisters made in her life. The experiences have called her to avail herself to be a positive influence to others. Read her story »

May 2024 - Sisters in Sierra Leone celebrate 50th anniversary of SSND presence in Sierra Leone, by "Honoring the past and moving into the future with joyful hope." Read reflection by Sister Regina Olouh »

January 2024 - Sister Stellamaris Syombuaa shares a reflection on her ministry after novitiate at St. Mary’s Nyabururu Girls Boarding Primary School in Kenya. Read more »

August 2023 - Violence is defined as “behavior involving physical force, intended to hurt, damage or kill someone or something.” It is disturbing that violence is done consciously and with a lot of intentionality, leading to disastrous consequences. Sister Lucy Waigwa shares a reflection on violence in the world around us. Read more »

June 2023 - Sister Beatrice Chepng’eno shares her experience in ministry at Notre Dame Children's Outreach, Kenya. “My life in mission is prompted by my openness to love and reach out especially to the vulnerable.” Read more »

April 2023 - School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) first arrived in The Gambia, West Africa, in 1990. With a population of more than 2.2 million people, 96% are Muslim and 4% are Christian. Sister Ejura Elizabeth Michael has spent the last five years in The Gambia in full time education ministry. As a Catholic sister and educator in a predominantly Muslim country, challenges exist. Read more »

March 2023 - A book by Sister Kathleen Feeley about the history of School Sisters of Notre Dame in Africa (1970-2020). This book tells a story of miracles—one after another. "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news." Isaiah 52:7. Read More >

February 2023 - Sister Esther Alaam reflects on her experience as a minister in the health sector, particularly as a mid-wife. She shares, "My experience working in the health sector has been a journey of learning, helping, empowering, loving, giving and receiving love and hope, connecting with women and families, challenging and fun." Read More >

November 2022 - Sister Jacinta Ondeng shares a reflection on her experience in prison ministry in Nairobi, Kenya. She is motivated by her own conviction that the human person, regardless of how broken they are, still deserve God's love and mercy. Read More >

September 2022 - How can you join an activity or show your support for women and girls everywhere, who are standing up and changing the climate for gender equality, contributing today for a more just socio-ecological sustainable tomorrow? Read More >

June 2022 - Sister Josephine Niemann, a liturgical fabric artist, shares some of her quilt and how her experience in Africa inspired their creation. Read More >

March 2022 - School Sister of Notre Dame, Sister Ann Coleman, shares her ministry journey leading her to her new home in Africa. Sister Ann is now a member of the Province of Africa. Read More >

March 2022 - Sister Magdalene Umoh shares a reflection on her ministry as a campus administrator and tutor at the Department of Public Health, University of Makeni, Sierra Leone. She expresses the values she has learned and how her heart has found fulfillment in what it loves to do best. Read More >

February 2022 - Sister Carolyn Anyega shares a reflection on the meaning and experience of "giving my whole heart to God." Sister Carolyn is currently serving on the General Council for School Sisters of Notre Dame. Read More >

November 2021 - Safiatu Ceesay, Grade 9 graduate, shares her personal experience as the Outgoing Head Girl of Notre Dame School, Soma, The Gambia. She testifies that the education she received is not only about reading and writing, but holistic and transformative. Read More >

September 2021 - Meet Bernadette F. Mendy, a fourth-year medical student at the University of The Gambia. Learn how the School Sisters of Notre Dame were involved in her formative years, offering encouragement and insightful advice that guided her throughout her educational career. Read More >

December 2020 - Serving at St. Joseph’s preschool as a mentor has given Sister Ruth Nyanchama Mose an opportunity to open herself to responding to the needs of the larger Bumbuna community. Good rapport among the teachers, parents, and pupils has helped to work together for the good of all. Read More >

October 2020 - Sisters Mary (Marie Daniel) Dooley, Mara Frundt and Antoinette Naumann share their stories of becoming a School Sister of Notre Dame (SSND) and bringing SSND to a new continent, Africa. Read More >

September 15, 2020 - The deadly Coronavirus pandemic has accorded us the opportunity of listening to the voice of God and responding in a new way to God's continuing call (YAS, C3). At this critical time in our history, together with my sisters in community, I was able to discern a new way of being for our students, parents and teachers with whom I work. Read More >

August 28, 2020 - The popular saying, “God’s time is the best” manifested greatly as we blessed and opened our home in Africa after 50 years of SSND presence on the continent. Factual is the saying of Mother Theresa that ‘all the works of God proceed slowly and in pain but then, their roots are the sturdier of roots and their flowering the lovelier.’ The spirits of our ancestors were felt in-depth during the dedication of our Provincial House to our foundress, Blessed Mary Theresa of Jesus Gerhardinger. It was a thanksgiving of amazing grace. Read More >