A public administration expert, Charity Lumpa, has challenged the Association of Consecrated Women in the Eastern and Central Africa (ACWECA) region to lead with faith, compassion, and innovation to realize their mission and charisms.
Lumpa said this during the Sisters’ Blended Value Project (SBVP) graduation ceremony that took place in Zambia on November 23, 2023.
“This powerful combination is so critical to transforming people and the team of organizations that you work with. So, when you are leading by faith, it is an aspect of believing strongly in yourself and others. You have to believe in the unseen and have confidence in the potential for growth and success,”Lumpa said.
She asked the Consecrated women to show empathy, understanding, and kindness when organizing and addressing the needs of others with genuine care and consideration.
She said leading with innovation is about encouraging creative thinking, embracing new ideas and adapting to change and exploring possibilities and finding innovative solutions to the challenges that are before people.
“We are required to be open to new possibilities and trust in the innovative earth,” she said.
“In your social enterprises as leaders and managers, planning, organizing, coordinating, and controlling the activities of the enterprise to achieve its social and financial objectives is key. Social enterprise goes beyond the traditional business management because it prioritizes the social mission alongside the financial consideration which creates meaningful and long-lasting social change,” she said.
She also called for transparency, accountability, and ethical practices in all aspects of their enterprise.
The Principal Investigator for SBVP Angela Ndunge said the conference was organized to help Sisters learn to expand their networks which helps them to open new doors and opportunities
“Your network is your net worth because they show support systems and the relationships that you maintain which are the links that lead you to where resources are. Some of the efforts that you’re looking at like fundraising, and resource mobilization require sisters to work and meet new people.
“We will enhance and provide knowledge as Strathmore; webinars are done continuously to keep sisters abreast with what is happening,” Ndunge said.
Ndunge disclosed that they will set up an incubator accelerator in SBVP that will continuously support Sisters.
“Through incubators and accelerators, we are seeing a multiplying effect. The more you interact with us, the more you learn and also teach others and slowly you begin to transform our continent,” Ndunge said.
The President of the Zambia Association of Sisterhoods (ZAS) and regional leader of the Sisters of Charity, Sr. Mary Clare Moomba said that the SBVP is an initiative that focuses on helping Sisters to become self-sustaining to sustain their different ministries.
Published on 27th November, 2023.
Author: Sr. Helen Kasaka, LSMI
