Wherever they are, members of the congregation of the Servants of Mary undertake to help women in difficulty. “We are in line with what our founder, Father Louis-Edouard Cestac, wanted,” emphasizes Sister Marie-Madeleine. We serve people in difficulty, mainly women and children. »
Help with autonomy
Louis-Edouard Cestac acquired, in 1838, the agricultural estate of Châteauneuf, in Anglet, which he renamed Notre-Dame-du-Refuge. It was there that he founded the congregation of the Servants of Mary in 1842, to welcome young prostitutes from Bayonne who wanted to escape this condition.
We want to enable women to acquire the means to ensure their autonomy and independence.
“It is in this spirit that the history of the congregation has continued,” emphasizes Sister Marie-Madeleine. We want to enable women to acquire the means to ensure their autonomy and independence. Wherever we are, we adapt to local needs in order to meet them. »
Ivory Coast and India
Sister Agnès, also a member of the Amitié tiers-monde association, lived for many years in Ivory Coast. “I was in Toupah, in the south, where we have a center open to out-of-school girls. For three years, we teach them to write, count, sew and cook. Materials which, there, are necessary to achieve independence. We also take care of malnourished children and at the same time, we help their mothers. » In Adzopé, a town of 50,000 inhabitants, the Servants of Mary manage a home for young girls, whom they welcome as boarders.
In southern India, the congregation has around forty members, on several sites. This time the focus is on children’s education. The sisters created schools, a reception center for young people with disabilities and a center for the elderly. They also manage a tea, coffee and pepper plantation.
“From Anglet, we provide financial assistance for the operation of these different structures,” continues Sister Marie-Madeleine. All the money we raise during our garage sales goes to them. This allows them to buy milk, medicine and everything necessary to help the people they receive. We also help finance the pensions of young girls at the Adzopé boarding school. »
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