27 Feb 2024
OLSH Global Outreach
MSCs from all over the world continue to work in partnership with the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (OLSH), providing help and support to the poor and vulnerable on our shared mission: “May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be everywhere loved.”Â
OLSH ministry in South Africa
The Congregation of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart work together at the Holy Family Care Centre in Limpopo, South Africa, where they provide residential care for orphans and sick and vulnerable children.
At the Holy Family Care Centre, a community of Sisters, volunteers, and local staff care for between 75 and 80 children. Many of these children are living with chronic illnesses such as HIV/AIDs, TB, and other critical conditions. The children are mostly orphaned, and all are vulnerable. The community here work closely with the Department of Social Development to provide the best possible opportunities for the children in their care.
At the moment, the boys’ dormitory accommodates 23 children and two staff members. It is very crowded, with no space between the beds. With your help, the Sisters would like to buy new bed linen and mattresses, as most of the current ones are now 15 years old, and to replace some of the beds with bunk beds to give the children who sleep here more space.
The Holy Family Sisters are currently working to raise a total of €6,000
to provide more space in the dormitory for boys aged 2 to 10 years.
The onsite crèche at the Holy Family Centre helps the Sisters, along with their volunteers, to care for up to 25 children. To cater for the changing requirements of the youths in their care, they would like to build an extra toilet block so that the children can be toilet trained on low junior toilets suited to their needs. Unfortunately, due to rising costs, the Sisters need your help to fund the construction and fitting of this toilet block.
€4,900 will make a great difference in the Sisters’ ability to provide comfortable facilities
for the toddlers in their care.
In South Africa, “load shedding” is an unfortunate and frequent aspect of daily life, when the electricity in the Care Centre has to be cut. The Centre has its own back up generator, but this is only used when it is vital, as the cost of diesel continues to increase. The Centre would like to install solar panels to power their bore water well and sewerage pumps. The solar panels would ensure savings on power, which in turn will help reduce costs and prevent major systems from failing.
€9,900 will enable the Holy Family community to pay for solar panels to be installed,
including batteries and labour.
“The Holy Family Centre hopes to help each child to regain their childhood. We aim to address their physical, emotional, psychological, educational, and spiritual needs. Our main focus is to create an environment where they feel safe, loved, happy, and to extend them kindness and guidance.”
“Our Vision” ~ OLSH Sisters, South Africa
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR OLSH SISTERS IN THEIR GLOBAL OUTREACH
OLSH outreach in Brazil
In a Eldorado, a small city in Brazil, lives Sr Bruna. Here, she administers to the spiritual needs of the local community with the help of Eucharistic ministers. Together, they visit members of the parish who cannot attend Mass due infirmity or illness, bringing Holy Communion to those in need and providing spiritual solace to people who are often alone.
€900 will enable Sr Bruna FDNSC to purchase 12 pyx cases to help bring the Holy Eucharist
to sick, elderly, and infirm parishioners who cannot attend Mass.
The Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in San Paulo, Brazil, run a special programme for senior parishioners. The Sisters here have reached out to the seniors in the community to give them access to computer classes, a local choir, and other activities such as yoga and crafts for the aged. These workshops are free and are held twice a week. The meeting place for the senior groups is in great need of renovation, including a new roof and the repair of the floors. The newly renovated roof will also capture rain water, which can then be used sustainably in the toilets and gardens.
€16,000 will provide immeasurable help to the Sisters as they continue to provide a place for the seniors of the parish to gather for friendship and personal development.
Sr Maria Jose is a teacher in San Paulo, Brazil, who works with a youth group who meet weekly. She is appealing for our help in raising funds to purchase some musical instruments, enabling local youths to learn new skills individually and as a group, and to develop their musical talents. Sr Maria Jose would like to buy a keyboard, an electric guitar, a cajon, and a ukulele, to bring the youth group together in harmony and in prayer.
€1,000 will buy musical instruments to encourage unity and personal growth
for members of the youth group.
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR OLSH SISTERS IN THEIR GLOBAL OUTREACH
OLSH ministering across Africa
The OLSH Sisters have a nursery school and primary school in Zagtouli, Burkina Faso, where they provide two snacks and a meal each day for the pupils. In this way, they guarantee that vulnerable children receive muchneeded nourishment. The Sisters would now like to build a dining room, so the children can eat in comfort, and will no longer need to eat in their classrooms or outside.
€20,000 will enable the Sisters to build a dining room for the children attending the school.
The Sisters also minister in the region of Fada N’Gourma in Burkina Faso, where they have been caring for the local community since 2013. The population of this town is 34,000, with 40% of the people living below the poverty line. Taking into consideration the needs of the people of this area, the Sisters have recently managed to acquire some land and hope to build three classrooms on this site. With your support, they can help local children and their families to look forward, with hope, to a better future.
€20,000 will provide the funds needed to start building three classrooms on the new site.
“To the wonderful benefactors in the Irish Province, we thank you sincerely for the assistance you give to us. It is very much appreciated! We remember you in prayer, with deep gratitude.”
~ Sr Jenny Christie FDNSC
International Development Officer for the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart