MANSA COMMUNITY
Here some photos from the visit of Sr. Marie Claire Jean to our community.
We thank God for the presence of Sr Marie-Claire in our mission. Her motherly presence was felt by everyone.
LAURA CENTRE – KASAMA PRAISE AND CELEBRATE GOD FOR 25 YEARS OF EDUCATION, DEDICATION AND LOVE.
On 27th May 2016, to praise God and celebrate its wonders Laura Centre celebrated its 25 years of presence in Kasama (Zambia).
In 1990 the Salesian sisters opened their first community in Kasama. It was in response to the invitation of the late Arcbishop Mutale that Mother Marinella Castagno and her council, decided to send Sisters to Kasama.
The first Salesian Sisters arrived in Kasama on 22nd January 1990, on the feast of Laura Vicuna. This why, the community bears the name of Laura Vicuna. They were three sisters namely Sr. Reakes Geraldine from England was the Superior, Sr. Mazzone Maria from Italy was the bursar and Sr. Yolola Celeste from the Philippines, who was teaching at Kasama teacher’s training college.
The sisters had barely settled when they decided to start a school. This led to the birth of Laura Girls’ Ssecondary school in 1991.
The school was opened to cater for girls who could not be taken by the mainstream schools after failing Grade Seven. Initially, the school did not have the structures we are seeing here today. The girls were learning under the trees.
Irish aid saw the need for a proper structure and they helped to build the shelter (Insaka) so that the learners could be protected from the heat of the sun and from the rain during the rainy season.
The school did not have full time teachers by then but depended on retirees and school leavers. These teachers were paid from donations from well-wishers in Italy. The girls progressed so well in their education that they managed to complete school.
In 1993, the school was opened as an examination centre for Grade Nines. Before that, our pupils used to write their examinations from other centres. When the ministry of education saw that the results of our girls were very good, they encouraged us to start a “normal” school. The demand for places also increased. In 1997, the school was recognised by the government as a grant-aided school.
In the year 2000, we started the first Grade 10 class. The school has continued to grow in terms of infrastructure as well as enrolment. Most of the existing buildings have been put up with the support of parents and other well-wishers.
Currently, the school has grown to become one of the best in the province in both academic performance and extra-curricular activities. In terms of staffing, the school has twenty five teaching staff and three non-teaching staff. The total enrolment for pupils currently stands at five hundred and eighty. The school has a class pattern of three classes at junior level and two at senior level. The demand for school places is overwhelming such that expansion is inevitable.
The development, progress and the growth of this school did not hinder the Sisters to reach out to other challenges in the mission.
Since 2004 the Salesian Sisters started to journey with the Twatasha Women’s club in Katongo village. This contributed to extend the activities of Laura centre to the most vulnerable children and give opportunity of education and evangelisation to them. Today in Katongo village there is a preschool with 60 children and a grade 6 class with 46 pupils (from 15 years to 25 years) who are upgrading in order to write their grade 7 examinations. This year 4 of them qualified to write the examinations in Mubanga Chipoya.
Besides this, the community carries on with the distance adoption with the help of the Salesian Polish mission procure. At present we have sponsored more than a hundred children in several schools here in Kasama.
Since 2010 the sisters came up with a boarding house. To start the boarding could only accommodate 48 girls. Every year the demands are increasing and they are now 70 girls.
Kasama is the cradle of the salesian sisters in this province from where our Zambian sisters start their formation. We have the aspirants and postulants living with Salesian Sisters while being trained to religious life.
The mission could not reach this stage without the great contribution of many generous people. Celebrating this jubilee we thank God for its wonders and pray for all who have worked in this mission and have contributed to the salvation of many young people.
KASAMA COMMUNITY
To celebrate Mary Help of Christians on the 24th May , and in thanksgiving to God for the 25 years of our Laura Girls Secondary School, we had a march going to Saint John’s cathedral. The march was led by the Saint Francis Brass Band and our majorettes wearing the colours of the country’s flag, the Church and the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians.. We crossed the town and went to the Cathedral where we pass through the Holy door. Fr. Mukuka Clement welcome the pupils, teachers and sisters, he said the prayers for the year of mercy and imparted blessing. Afterward Fr. Luka Ataille, Parish priest of Saint Anne celebrate the Eucharist in honour of Mary Help of Christians.
MANSA COMMUNITY
Saint Mary Dominica Mazzarello and St. Dominc Savio were celebrated with great style and joy. The Holy Eucharist for both feasts challenged young people to live and emulate the life of these holy people. Numerous games such as: bottle filling, stroll race, queen race, water bombs to mention but a few and many animated songs marked the days which were memorable for young people.
AFM SALESIAN SISTERS 