Areas of expertise & Fields of activity:
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Economic and Social:
Culture
Development
Education
Financing for Development
Humanitarian Affairs
Indigenous Peoples
Least Developed Countries
Religion
Social Development
Statistics
Sustainable Development
United Nations Reform
Values
Women
Women/gender Equality
Gender Issues and Advancement of Women:
Capacity building
Education and training of women
Indigenous women
Institutional mechanisms for the advancement of women
Millennium Development Goals
Policy advice
Research
Violence against women
Women and HIV/AIDS
Women and health
Women and poverty
Women and the economy
Women and the environment
Women in power and decision-making
Social Development:
Employment
Indigenous issues
Poverty
Social policy
Statistics:
Demographic and social surveys
Development indicators
Official statistics, principles and practices
Poverty statistics
Services Statistics
Social Statistics and Social Monitoring
Sustainable Development:
Agriculture
Capacity-building
Climate change
Desertification and Drought
Education
Energy
Gender equality
Health
Indicators
Information for decision-making and participation
Institutional arrangements
Integrated decision-making
International cooperation for an enabling environment
Means of Implementation (Trade, Finance, Technology, Tranfer, etc.)
Partnerships
Poverty
Protecting and managing the natural resources
Rural Development
Sustainable development for Africa
Sustainable development in a globalizing world
Sustainable development of SIDS
Peace and Development in Africa:
Development in Africa
Peace in Africa
Conflict Resolution in Africa:
Conflicts Resolution
NEPAD:
Agriculture and Food Security
Climate Change and Natural Resource Management
Crosscutting issues (Gender and Capacity Development)
Human Development
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| Geographic scope: |
International
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| Country of activity: |
United States of America
South Sudan
Zambia
Ghana
Uganda
Cameroon
Nigeria
United Republic of Tanzania
Kenya
Lesotho
Malawi
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| Millennium Development Goals: |
Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Achieve universal primary education
Promote gender equality and empower women
Ensure environmental sustainability
Develop global partnership for development
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| Mission statement: |
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| Year established: |
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| Year of registration: |
2006 |
| Organizational structure: |
In the face of the desperate needs of Africa, Catholic women religious have emerged as a strong source of hope for the future. These women, who are deeply trusted by their societies, work to improve the course of life by serving where the needs are the greatest – in schools, healthcare facilities and human service centers across the continent. While their numbers, presence and impact on society are significant, many lack higher education or any other professional preparation. With additional education, the potential of these women to change the course of life on the continent is tremendous. Recognizing this potential, Catholic colleges and universities founded by women religious and their sponsoring congregations have a rich history of providing scholarships for a limited number of African sisters. However, this response is inadequate to meet a growing demand for higher education for African sisters. There are over 40,400 women religious and 3,870 novices in formation houses in countries served by ASEC. Most have no higher education credentials, and in some countries, many have not completed high school. The African Sisters Education Collaborative (ASEC) was established to address this dire need and to serve more sisters. Its purpose is to increase educational opportunities for women religious in Africa so that they, in turn, can better meet the educational, healthcare, social and spiritual needs of the people they serve. ASEC recognizes that education is pivotal for human development and that with emerging technological advances it is possible to provide opportunities for ASEC to partner with African institutions to achieve that goal. ASEC uses alternative means to provide education for sisters in Africa within their own context, countries and culture. The history of the African Sisters Education Collaborative (ASEC) dates back to 1995 when members of the founding congregations conducted needs assessment studies in response to requests by women religious from Africa for support in the education of their sisters. After careful study, ASEC was inaugurated in 1999 by leaders of four congregations of women religious in Pennsylvania and the presidents of the colleges and universities founded by their congregations. The charter members of this collaborative project are the presidents and congregational leaders of the Sisters of St. Joseph (Chestnut Hill College); the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Scranton (Marywood University); the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia (Neumann University); and the Society of the Holy Child Jesus (Rosemont College). ASEC Associate Members are DePaul University, Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, Sisters of the Redeemer, St. Leo University and Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati. ASEC is a 501 (c) 3 organization and is run by a board of directors. The charter members meet regularly to consider ways to support the education of the women religious of Africa so that they in turn can educate others. The Board consists of no more than 25 members who meet as committees (Finance, Development, Academic, Board Operations and Audit) 3 times per year and the Board as a whole meets 3 times per year. The Board elects a president, vice president, secretary and treasurer. Committees elect chairpersons. An Advisory Board meeting once per year. ASEC partners with the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation (CNHF) to deliver the Sisters Leadership Development Initiative (SLDI) and Higher Education for Sisters in Africa program. ASEC partners with colleges and universities in Africa so as to increase access to education for sisters in Africa. A staff of 17 people headed by an Executive Director are located in the United States. A staff of 20 are located in Africa, 2 people in each country ASEC serves. |
| Number and type of members: |
ASEC is governed by a Board of Directors. The Board of Directors’ role is to support the African Sisters Education Collaborative (herein ASEC) strategic and mission-based goals, and to monitor the direction and impact of the organization. The Members of the Board are the sitting President of each of the following: Chestnut Hill College and the Sisters of St. Joseph, Marywood University and the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Scranton), Neumann University and the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, and Rosemont College and the Society of the Holy Child Jesus. These are the Founding Members of ASEC. Other directors are solicited by the current directors. There is maximum of 25 directors and no fewer than 10. Those individuals who have served on the African Sisters Education Collaborative (ASEC) Board of Directors with distinction may be elected director emeriti by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members of the Board at a duly constituted meeting. They shall be entitled to receive notices of all meetings of the Board, to attend and speak at such meetings, to receive minutes, and to be members of all committees except the Executive Committee. They shall have the power to vote in meetings of committees on which they may serve, but shall not have voting powers in meetings of the Board of Directors. There are 5 committees of the Board who drive decision and policy making: Academic Committee, Development Committee, Board Operations Committee, Finance Committee and Audit Committee. Policy is developed through these committees but must ultimately be approved by the Board as a whole. The organization is led by an Executive Director who carries out the will of the Board of Directors. ASEC also has an associate membership advisory board. The function of Associate membership is to promote and further the mission of the organization, make a financial contribution, and collaborate in ASEC programming. One member, the president, elected from the Associate Membership may represent the Associates on the Board of the organization with voice without a vote. |
| Affiliation with NGO networks: |
Yes |
| Funding structure: |
Membership fees or dues
Funds from other Non-Governmental Organizations
Funds from Religious Institutions
Fundraising campaigns
Donations and grants from domestic sources
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