"In our mission area, the illiteracy rate exceeds 60%. That’s why people are so grateful for our presence - for the school, meals for the children, and pastoral support. For them, our mission is an oasis of hope."
Olsztyn, September 19, 2025
Praised be Jesus Christ!
We are undertaking an ambitious project at the Nato mission in Madagascar: repairing school buildings damaged by a cyclone, constructing a new building with six classrooms and housing for teachers, refurbishing the school field, building toilets, installing solar panels, renovating the local church, and purchasing a year’s supply of rice for the school cafeteria. To bring this vision to life, we need to raise €119,560 (PLN 514,000). I believe that with the help of the many generous hearts in the Dehonian Mission Family, this goal is within reach!
Fr. Piotr Chmielecki SCJ: Sister, could you briefly tell us about your mission in Nato?
Sr. Władysława Piróg FMM: The Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Mary have been present in Madagascar - one of the largest islands in the world, located in the Indian Ocean - since 1900. Our mission in Nato is the youngest, and also the one that concerns us the most. We have been here since 2014, responding to Pope Francis' call to go to the peripheries - to the poorest. We began with a school for 80 children. Today, nearly 500 students attend classes!
What are the biggest challenges in missionary work?
The most difficult challenges are cyclones, poverty, and illiteracy. Most local families survive by farming small plots of land, fishing, and weaving grass mats. The region also grows coffee, pepper, cloves, and cinnamon. However, a single cyclone can wipe out an entire harvest, leading to hunger and famine. Another challenge is the presence of many sects that gain followers by offering even a single cup of rice. In our mission area, the illiteracy rate exceeds 60%. That’s why people are so grateful for our presence - for the school, meals for the children, and pastoral support. For them, our mission is an oasis of hope.
Are investments like a playground, solar panels, or teacher housing really necessary?
Absolutely. The solar panels are our only source of electricity and light for the school. As for the playground - forget the image of Polish children glued to smartphones. For our students, this is often their only form of play and joy during free time. The teacher housing is also critical. There is a severe shortage of teachers in our area, as few want to work in remote villages. Providing accommodation is often the only way to recruit and retain qualified staff.
Why do you feed the children at school?
In the early days of the mission, there was no cafeteria. But we quickly noticed that many children came from very poor families and had to walk two to four kilometers to get to class. They often fell ill, missed school, or performed poorly on exams. The reason was simple: they were hungry. So in 2021, we began offering meals at school. Even a small piece of cassava would bring great joy. We Sisters grow vegetables in our own garden for the school meals, but to provide children with nutritious, regular food, we need outside support. When a cyclone wipes out local crops, we have to feed the entire school from our reserves.
Can you share a story from the nutrition program?
Soon after I arrived in Nato, a little girl fainted at school. In a panic, I carried her on my back to the health center. The doctor looked at us and said gently, “Sister, before you bring a child to the clinic, ask first whether they've had breakfast - or when they last ate anything.” We discovered that little Michelle hadn’t eaten for two days. Another time, I noticed 10-year-old Samuelsson helping wash dishes after lunch. He was laughing and splashing water on his friends. Suddenly, he ran up to me and said, “Sister, it’s often Christmas here at the mission!” I asked him why. “Because today we had meat in the cafeteria,” he said. “At home, we only eat meat on Christmas.”
With the gift of prayer +
Deputy Secretary of for Foreign Missions
of the Priests of the Sacred Heart in Poland
Fr. Piotr Chmielecki SCJ
P.S. I truly believe we will reach our goals for the Nato mission. With our collective support, the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Mary can continue to preach the Gospel more effectively in Madagascar - through their presence, compassion, and concrete acts of love.
November is a special time of intense prayer for our departed loved ones, friends, and especially for those who have no one to pray for them. At the Secretariat for Foreign Missions, we deeply feel the strength of prayer from our Dehonian Mission Family. We invite you to send us the names of your deceased loved ones. Throughout the month of November, a collective Mass will be celebrated for the departed, and their names will be read aloud by the Dehonian Fathers during Eucharistic Adoration. All voluntary offerings received in connection with this prayer initiative will be donated to support the Renovation in Nato project.
