Scranton, PA: On February, 12, 2020, ASEC officially expanded the Scholarship program to the African country of Ghana in an effort to support Catholic Sisters in need of educational support to effectively serve students with special needs.
The need for scholarships Ghana was identified by ASEC 2019 Service Learning participant and special education teacher Sr Elizabeth Demerchant, IHM. At service locations visited on the trip, Sr. Elizabeth noticed that some of the Sisters and other teachers were not formally trained in special education, even though they were responsible for caring for children with physical and/or mental disabilities.
Upon further evaluation, it was determined that partner institutions of ASEC's Higher Education for Sisters in Africa (HESA) program in Ghana did not offer education programs in the field of special education.
In order to fill this education gap, ASEC will now fund scholarships for Catholic Sisters in Ghana who wish to pursue degrees and training for special education. Now Sisters will be able to receive the training and credentials needed to effectively carry out their service to vulnerable children who rely on their care.
African Sisters Education Collaborative (ASEC) is a non-profit organization facilitating access to education for women religious in sub-Saharan Africa. Graduates of ASEC’s programs demonstrate that educating a Sister can result in rippling, far-reaching impacts that significantly contribute to sustainable development in Africa.
ASEC's Scholarship Program was initiated in 2012 to meet the unique educational needs expressed by Sisters in Tanzania who were lacking the necessary secondary education credentials to qualify for higher education programs offered by ASEC. In 2016, ASEC expanded the scholarship program to Malawi in Zambia in order to address a similar need for secondary and diploma level education. Learn more at http://asec-sldi.org/.
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Sr. Draru Mary Cecilia, ASEC Executive Director, at 570-961-4700 or executivedirector@asec-sldi.org.
