Sister Adele – Goma (Democratic Republic of the Congo)


After also considering the possibility of developing a poultry farm, the sisters decided to establish a small bakery near the neighborhood market. Despite initial funding from spazio + spadoni, the enterprise has not yet been established because of the difficult geopolitical situation in Goma.
Sister Adele, a member of the Religieuses de la Sainte Famille D’Helmet Congregation, completed her training at the Misericordia di Assisi from December 2021 to July 2022. Her training focused mainly on baking and poultry-farming techniques. She also studied first aid, the Works of Mercy, cultivation techniques—thanks to the Misericordia’s vegetable garden—the charism of volunteering, and the life of Saint Francis of Assisi.
At the end of her experience in Italy, she returned to Goma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Goma is a city in the eastern part of the country, on the northern shore of Lake Kivu; it is the capital of North Kivu Province and has a population of about 250,000. Sister Adele’s community is located in the city and consists of nine sisters who work at the hospital and their school.
Learn more Sister Adele, living the Works of Mercy on the streets of Goma
Timeline
2021
05.03 | Start of the relationship with the Congregation
The Congregation asks spazio + spadoni to take part in the HIC SUM project
04-05-06 | Training
Sister Adele takes an Italian course in Goma
09.08 | Start of the relationship with the Misericordia
The Misericordia di Assisi agrees to take part in the HIC SUM project
27.12 | Sister’s arrival
Sister Adele is welcomed by the Misericordia di Assisi


2022
Meeting with the bishop
H.E. Bishop Domenico Sorrentino

31.01 | Training
Technical visit by spazio + spadoni to Assisi
04 | Training
Specific training courses in poultry farming and baking
01.05 | Meeting with the Mother General
spazio + spadoni meets Mother Emerence, Superior of the Religieuses de la Sainte Famille D’Helmet Congregation, in Rome

06-09.06 | Training
Technical training for the HIC SUM project at the Convento di San Cerbone (LU)
01.07 | Sister’s departure
Sister Adele returns to Goma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

29.11 | First funding disbursed
Funding intended to purchase materials to launch the social enterprise
2025
January | Outbreak of tensions
The situation in Goma worsens with the outbreak of war. In such a critical context, planning a project is impossible
08.05 | Meeting with the Mother General
On the occasion of the UISG Assembly, held in Rome from 5 to 9 May, spazio + spadoni met the Superior General

Project evaluations
February 2022 Discussion of the project to be
developed
March 2022 The project that Sister Adele intends
to develop concerns the establishment of a small bakery
April 2022 With the Misericordia and the
Congregation, the activities Sister Adele is carrying out in Italy are reviewed
April 2022 Together with the Congregation and
an engineer from Goma, the project’s sustainability is discussed
April 2022 Review of
costs
May 2022 A spazio + spadoni technician
visits the Goma mission where the project will be developed
October 2022 A spazio + spadoni technician pays
a visit to Sister Adele
November 2022 Definition of the overall
budget
May 2023 Planning the launch of the
project
November 2023 During a
missionary trip to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Selene visits Sister Adele and Sister Gaudence’s community
January 2024 Monitoring and organization
of the spread of the Works of Mercy
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