Nineteen women religious from across Africa and other parts of the world gathered at the Kasisi Retreat Centre in Lusaka from 13 to 17 July 2026 to strengthen the Church's response to migration, forced displacement, and refugee protection.

Organized by the International Migrants and Refugees Network of the International Union of Superiors General (UISG), the five-day training seminar brought together sisters engaged in migration ministry from Kenya, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Mozambique, Ghana, Rwanda, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, South Sudan, Eswatini, Peru, Brazil, Lebanon, and Spain.

The organizers expect the meeting to culminate in the creation of the UISG African Migrants and Refugees Network, a continental platform that will connect women religious involved in migration ministry across Africa. Participants will be encouraged to establish national networks through which sisters can share experiences, coordinate advocacy efforts, and collaborate with humanitarian and Church organizations.

The gathering takes place against the backdrop of ongoing conflicts, violence, persecution, and climate-related crises that continue to uproot communities across Africa. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), by the end of 2025 there were 68.7 million internally displaced people worldwide due to conflict or violence. The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, and South Sudan remain among the countries facing severe displacement crises.

The seminar aims to equip women religious and other pastoral leaders with the tools to exercise informed, ethical, and coordinated leadership through advocacy, humanitarian engagement, and holistic accompaniment, all rooted in the Social Doctrine of the Church.

Participants are examining the different realities faced by migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced persons. While refugees have crossed an international border in search of protection, internally displaced persons have been forced to flee their homes but remain within their own countries. The term migrant is broader and includes people who move for different reasons and under different legal circumstances.

Throughout the week, the sessions address topics such as humanitarian coordination and accountability, legal frameworks governing migration and refugee protection, advocacy, mental health and psychosocial support, as well as the theological foundations of migration in Sacred Scripture and the Social Doctrine of the Church. Participants are also examining migration trends in their respective regions and sharing experiences from their ministries.

Sr. Carmen Elisa Bandeo, SSpS, Coordinator of the UISG International Migrants and Refugees Network, explained that the initiative is rooted in the conviction that women religious can have a greater impact when they work together.

Using the image of bamboo, Sr. Bandeo explained that a single stalk can easily break, but many stalks bound together become strong and resilient. She said this image captures the vision of the proposed African network.

"When we are united, we are strong and we can make a real impact. Only then can we become the change we want to see in the world."

According to Sr. Bandeo, the network will enable women religious to share pastoral experiences, coordinate advocacy initiatives, and collaborate with humanitarian and Church organizations to promote the dignity and rights of migrants, refugees, and internally displaced persons.

The nineteen participants will return to their respective countries committed to developing national structures that will contribute to a coordinated continental response. These networks will also seek to strengthen collaboration with organizations already engaged in defending the rights of migrants, providing humanitarian assistance, and protecting refugees.

"A single sister or congregation may have a limited reach, but many working together can build a much stronger response across Africa."

For Sr. Victoria Tito of Mozambique, the seminar represents an opportunity to acquire practical knowledge that she can apply in her ministry and share with her pastoral team.

"Participating in this seminar will help me gain new knowledge about migration, refugees, and human rights while strengthening my skills. I intend to apply what I learn in my ministry to improve support for people in vulnerable situations and to share this knowledge with my team. I also hope to contribute to promoting human dignity and human rights in my community and in my country."

The seminar is facilitated by Sr. Carmen Elisa Bandeo, SSpS; Sr. Kayula Lesa, RSC; Sr. Lina Siabana, MSOLA; and Sr. Marie Harika, SDC. Together they lead sessions integrating humanitarian practice, pastoral care, mental health, theology, social engagement, and the Social Doctrine of the Church.

At the conclusion of the meeting on 17 July, participants left Lusaka with the mission of translating their formation into national collaboration and sustained continental action.

The proposed network seeks to ensure that the Church's ministry to people on the move is guided not only by compassion, but also by professional competence, legal knowledge, coordinated advocacy, and respect for human dignity.

For Sr. Bandeo, the strength of the initiative is perfectly captured in the image of bamboo: a single sister or congregation may have a limited reach, but many working together can build a stronger, more effective, and transformative response to migration and forced displacement throughout Africa.

Article by Sr. Helen Kasaka for Voice Afrique.