Franciscan Alcantarine Sisters Library

“One hand washes the other hand.  And two hands wash the face.” 

Sister Esther's mother taught her these words, and Sister Esther, who is part of the Franciscan order, still uses them to describe how we must work together to take care of each other.

Who are the Franciscan Alcantarine Sisters?

The Franciscan “Alcantarine” Sisters first came from Italy to Nicaragua in 1980 and after establishing two other sites in the country, in 2001 they moved into a rural community just outside the city of Managua. The community was once named after a prominent family in the neighborhood, but since the Sisters have become such a respected part of the community, it is now referred to as “San Pedro de Alcantara.”

What community are the Sisters serving?

The community is located on the edge of Managua and is comprised of about 1000 people, 150 of which are directly involved with the Franciscan’s programs. While at least one member of each family typically works, employment is often unstable, and wages are low. It is normal for a family of 4 or 5 to live off of $70/month. This limited amount of money will cover the basics of rice and beans, leaving little or nothing to invest in children’s education.

How are the Sisters helping?

In order to assist these families in sending their children to school, in addition to their church duties, the Franciscan Sisters run a scholarship program. As the Sisters have become especially close with the mothers of the community, they have heard a resounding request for an educational center for their children.  Currently their kids must walk several kilometers to the closest internet cafe in order to do research for their homework. Furthermore, the use of computers, internet, and printing all cost money, which these families are limited to provide.  These mothers have shared their desire to have a place close by where their children can do their homework, and where the resources they need are available for a more affordable price. 

Thanks to these mothers for the idea, to the Sisters for their desire to serve, and to Books for Life for their financial assistance, the Franciscan center will now have a community library, started with a small collection of reference books, school books, and computers. 

The library is currently open 3 afternoons every week, but again based on the ideas of the local mothers, they are in the process of designing a rotating system for the mothers to take responsibility of running the library on designated days in order to have it open every day of the week. It is an exciting process as the library grows, and even more, as the relationships between the Sisters and the mothers, and the mothers and their children, continue to grow and be strengthened, as everyone works together to care for each other.

How can you partner with the Sisters?

You can partner with the Franciscan Sisters in empowering their community by working with the Sisters to offer a better education to those living there. Specific needs of the library are:

Books (all ages, novels and non-fiction)

Internet

Computer printer

Tables and chairs

Art supplies for activities

Pay for a full-time librarian