Projects | Society of African Missions

True to the Missionary call to” Go teach all nations” generations of Irish SMAs have worked in Africa to build up the Church and to promote the human dignity and just living central to the Gospel message and reflected in the social teaching of the Church. The goals of building up faith communities and church structures, providing education, health care, social development and in more recent times, caring for our environment have been at the heart of the SMA’s missionary work. These goals have been achieved and worked towards through engagement in parish pastoral work and though projects that promote faith, justice, human development and care for creation.

The involvement of the Irish Province of the SMA in such projects is on-going. Although the number of Irish SMAs on the ground in Africa is less than before the Irish Province continues not only to financially support the projects its own members run but also the projects of the newer, African and Asian SMA Provinces who have Missionaries working in 17 countries in Africa.

Donations and funds collected by the SMA in Ireland are used to:

Support the upkeep and education of 400 Seminarians training to become SMA Missionary Priests.
Provide grants that help to build churches or run parish activities and projects.
Support social development, educational and health projects.
Support for environmental and care for creation projects.

Our Projects

Tanga House

The Tanga Project in Mwanza, Tanzania provides vulnerable Albinos, whose lives are often at risk, with a safe home and a family. Tanga” means “sail” in Swahili. The project leader, Fr Janusz Machota, a Polish SMA, described the project by saying: “It embarks on the voyage of a lifetime towards unlimited horizons to bring these children and young people to the realization of their potential and dreams”. Tanga also works to end prejudice against Albinos in the wider community.

Twafwane Housing Project

Completed over a period of seven years the Twafwane Project built homes for many families – especially for widowed women made destitute when all their property was claimed by the family of their husbands. This made a world of difference and gave hope to people who had lost everything or were living on the street. “We were on the ground before …. Now we are respected”

Remote School Project

Valongo Commuity School, Kilalushi District Zambia: Just a broken down roof and no desks, no bridge and no road – the challenge and determination of a teacher and a community to build a new school building in which their children can receive an education and so open doors to a better future. There is, in spite of many difficulties and obstacles a plan.

Education of Priests

In Africa, the SMA has ten Houses dedicated to the training and preparation of 400 students for missionary priesthood. These are located in Benin Republic, Central African Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Togo, Tanzania and in Kabwe, Zambia where students do more than read and study. They learn practical life-skills, cooking, carpentry and how to be spiritual leaders for the people they will one day to serve.

Get Involved

We are grateful to donors here in Ireland and elsewhere whose generosity allows this work to continue.

Support us by donating directly or by joining the Family Vocations Community (FVC) which, through annual donations supports the upkeep and education of seminarians training to become SMA Missionaries.