The Voice of the suffering in Africa

Father Marcelo Oliveira accuses neighboring countries of instigating the violence in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where rebel groups did not even respect a Christmas truce. Christmas was a difficult time for the people of North Kivu, in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They have been filled with constant fear and anguish because of armed groups that are active near the border with Rwanda. In a message to Aid to the ...

The Diocese of Maroua-Mokolo in the extreme north of Cameroon has suffered sporadic attacks from Boko Haram. Monsignor Bruno Ateba tells Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) about his hope for the future through spiritual and educational formation programs, especially for young people and families. He also explains the importance of translating the Bible into Mafa, a powerful tool to strengthen the faith of a majority Christian tribe.   Since 2013, your Diocese of Maroua-Mokolo, on the border with Nigeria, ...

Two religious sisters, Vincentia Nwankwo and Grace Okoli, were abducted last Tuesday, January 7th, in Anambra State, in southeastern Nigeria. They belong to the congregation of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Mother of Christ, which has appealed to all the faithful, through a statement sent to Aid to the Church in Need International, to pray for their “unconditional release.”  Sister Vincentia María, the principal of Archbishop Charles Heerey Memorial Model Secondary School Ufuma, and Sister Grace Mariette, ...

Just over a year after extremists murdered more than 300 people in coordinated attacks on Christian villages in Plateau State, Nigeria, the faithful gathered for a special Mass to remember the victims last Sunday, January 5th.  Bishop Michael Gobal Gokum of Pankshin celebrated the Epiphany Mass at Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church in Bokkos for all those killed in their homes and on their farms on Christmas Eve 2023. Father Andrew Dewan, director of communications in Pankshin Diocese, told ...

Despite the widespread terrorism increasingly affecting Burkina Faso, and though priests and catechists are the main targets among pastoral agents, the country has seen a growth in priestly vocations in recent years. Supporting these future priests in their formation is one of ACN’s priorities.  For most people, Christmas is a time of family reunions, but this is not the case for many seminarians in Burkina Faso. Because of the serious security crisis caused by terrorism, some must forego joining their ...

Cabo Delgado was the area most affected by the fury of Cyclone Chido, which swept through Mozambique early on Sunday, December 15th, after causing destruction in the French archipelago of Mayotte. There are dozens of fatalities, and thousands of people lost everything. They are now asking how they will survive. In an initial report, the Diocese of Pemba speaks of a “frightening scene of destruction,” and even the IDP camps for victims of terrorism were leveled.   Once the sun rose ...