Inaugural trip: January 27 – February 6, 2027
Offering companionship, practical help, and volunteer support to elderly and infirm Little Sisters of St. Francis in Nkokonjeru.
The heart of the project
For decades, the Little Sisters of St. Francis have served others through education, healthcare, social work, and community care.
A message from Mother Rita
Read the welcome letter
In an episode of Off the Fence with Purpose, an Irish podcast about people who built careers around meaning, Jean Callanan — former chair of the Irish Hospice Foundation — shares how her grandmother, Dr. Sybil Magan, became a nun in Africa, and how that led her to advocate for palliative care where it barely exists. It’s a conversation about dying with dignity, and the sisters in Uganda who still need it most. That same story was later featured by NPR in June 2026, in a piece on the Little Sisters of St. Francis in Nkokonjeru.
Jean Callanan, Dying Well Advocate and former Chair of Irish Hospice Foundation, whose own grandmother was a nun in Tanzania, has recorded a podcast "A Ugandan Palliative Care Odessey" which reports on a pilot project for palliative care for elderly African nuns. The project which is based in the convent of the Little Sisters of Sr Francis in Nkokonjeru is being led by the African Palliative Care Association. This pilot project will hopefully benefit the 8-10,000 elderly nuns right across Africa who are frequently left without proper palliative care or end-of-life supports and die in unnecessary pain and discomfort.
Volunteer Activities
What this is not. There is no medical care, no heavy lifting, no agenda. You bring your time, your patience, and your willingness to be led by the Sisters themselves. Volunteers don’t arrive to fix anything. They arrive to keep company — which is exactly why it matters.
Companionship — Sitting together or reading aloud, slowly, from a book she chooses. Listening to a story she’s told a hundred times and hearing it as if it were the first.
Music and art making — A song or humming, whatever comes naturally. And quieter creative work: adult coloring or simple handiwork. The point isn’t the finished piece. It’s the shared focus, the conversation that happens while hands are busy.
Gentle presence — A game of cards or puzzles. Sitting side by side in comfortable silence. Helping her write a letter, or just being there while she rests.
Daily help — Practical tasks around the place that free caregivers to attend to medical needs and other specialized tasks.
A guiding principle
Come to listen.
Come to learn.
Come to serve gently.
We welcome compassionate individuals of all backgrounds — retirees, professionals, educators, students, caregivers, faith community members, and anyone called to serve. No prior medical experience is required, though skills in caregiving, teaching, music, crafts, or spiritual accompaniment are especially valuable. A spirit of humility, flexibility, respect for religious life, and openness to Ugandan culture are essential.
Volunteers should be in good health, adaptable to simple living conditions, and ready to embrace the rhythm of convent life.
The inaugural volunteer stay is January 27–February 6, 2027. The visit is $800 and includes room, board, and airport transfer from Entebbe. Additional dates may be added if there is enough interest. Use Message Us in the banner if you hope to come later.
Interested in the vision?
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