Marguerite got married when she was 16 and after having two children her husband kicked them out of the house to roam the streets of poverty stricken Berberati, in central Africa.
Desperate to make money, young girls often leave school early and resort to prostitution...
The young woman was lucky enough to come across a centre for young women like her, run by the Sisters of Charity, where she was given an education and taught how to sew.
“Today, she is about 20 years old... She is teaching sewing at the centre and making some money. She also sat for a public exam to get into college and was admitted,” said Sister Marceline Mavoungou, her eyes glittering at the thought of the young woman’s personal success.
Sr Marceline, who was in Malta for three months to learn English, worked in the Nemesia Training Centre for single mothers for several years where she was part of a team that taught the young women basic skills and subjects.
The centre, which opened in 2004, is located in Berberati, one of the poorest areas within the Central African Republic, or CAR. The French-speaking country that is Sr Marceline’s homeland is sandwiched between Sudan and Congo.
Years of political instability and the government’s lack of investment in social services plunged CAR into a deep crisis with 80 per cent of the population living in poverty. The country has the highest child mortality rate, with one in five children dying, and also performs poorly in terms of school achievement.
“Desperate to make money, young girls often leave school early and resort to prostitution leading to a high rate of single mothers,” Sr Marceline said.
The Nemesia centre was opened to offer these young women an opportunity for a decent future.
After spending a couple of years at the centre, Sr Marceline went to Chad for 12 years where she taught in a primary school.
“There were some very poor children at the school who did not have money to buy food. Us teachers would collect money and give it to the child to buy food,” she recalled.
On leaving Chad, the 46-year-old nun returned to her home country and continued her work at the centre. She has now been transferred to Ethiopia, where she will be teaching in a primary school, and came to Malta to learn English for her next mission.
“When I came here I saw that the Maltese help other countries. It is a very good thing. Maltese people love other people... The Sisters of Charity work with very poor people. We try to do our best and if people help us we can help the poor more,” she said, adding that missions, like the Nemesia centre, were in constant need of funds to buy books and teaching equipment for students.
The Sisters of Charity operate in 27 countries including Malta where there are about 80 nuns.
Anyone who wishes to help the Sisters of Charity’s Nemesia project can send a cheque to Provincial Superior Sr Salvina Bezzina, 152, Sisters’ Street, Tarxien, TXN 1042.