The Immaculate Heart Sisters of Africa (IHSA) is a missionary congregation founded in 1955 by Monsignor Gerard Grondin, Maryknoll Missionary serving as Perfect Apostolic of the Perfecture of Musoma and assisted by Sister Rosemiriam Dagg, Maryknoll Sisters. One of its Convents is located at Musoma Diocese. The congregation was under the care and patronage of Maryknoll Sisters until the 16th of November 1969 at which time full governance of the congregation was entrusted to its members under Sr. Maria Consolata John; the first Mother General of the IHSA. The charism of the IHSA is to assist Christ in the conversion of Africa. The Sisters currently work to fulfil this charism serving in the Tanzania Dioceses including but not limited to Musoma, Simiyu, Shinyanga, Geita, Mwanza, Singida,Dodoma and Dar es Salaam in its various apostolates. These apostolates include catechetical formation, community development, education, health care and work with disabled childre. Catechetical formation is the fundamental ministry of the congregation and is the basis that drives all of its other ministries. The IHSA has a number of Sisters who involved into different social -development activities including kindergarten care, Health care and women development work with Special Education Needs(SEN) children and disabilities. The main goal of these undertakings is to assist the society recognize the value of self-support, self-reliance and economic independence.
St. Justin Centre for Children with Disabilities is the Centre initiated by Sr. Maria Margareth John. The centre started in 2006 with 10 disabled children and 3 staff members by providing services into a temporary house into a voluntary basis and registered in 5th May 2016 at Musoma Municipal Council under Department of Community Development (Accreditation letter ref.No.HMM/659 dated 5th May, 2016). However, her initiatives were supported by collaboration and cordial coordination of Sr. Margaret John, a professional nurse who truly show her special charism and commitment to work with children’s with disabilities that remains as a unique with our centre. The main goal of the centre is to “empower children with disabilities to improve their life through access to education, physiotherapy activities, participation in family and communities’ development activities, formation and care so that in the long run re-unite with their families and stop becoming total burden to parents and the communities.
The centre managed under “The Immaculate Heart Sisters of Africa (IHSA), a missionary congregation founded in 1955 by Monsignor Gerard Grondin, Maryknoll Missionary serving as Perfect Apostolic of the Perfecture of Musoma and assisted by Sister Rosemiriam Dagg, Maryknoll Sisters. This is one of its Convents located at Musoma Diocese. The congregation was under the care and patronage of Maryknoll Sisters until the 16th of November 1969 at which time full governance of the congregation was entrusted to its members under Sr. Maria Consolata John; the first Mother General of the IHSA.
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