Our Work

See how we support communities around the world.

A choir dressed in blue robes singing in a church.
A choir dressed in blue and white robes posing inside a church.

PASTORAL - Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care is at the heart of our mission. Through faith formation, compassionate outreach, and spiritual accompaniment, the IHM Sisters nurture souls, comfort the suffering, and guide communities toward healing and hope. We serve individuals and families through a range of spiritual and emotional care initiatives: Faith Formation, Community Care, Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), Madonna Renewal Centers

Nurse checking an elderly woman's blood pressure in a cozy room.
An elderly woman and a nun sitting in a living room with paintings on the wall.
Community members gathered in a meeting room for a discussion.
A group of elderly people gathered in a community room for an event.
Children in blue hoodies watching a nativity scene inside a church.
Two people in blue veils seated in a church pew during a service.
Ornate altar with a crucifix and candles in a church.
Altar with ornate wooden front and floral arrangements beneath it.
A priest and two altar servers in blue robes inside a church.
A group of nuns and a clergyman smiling indoors.

  • Mission in Action:

    • Music Ministry – Serving using music to uplift and comfort
    • Block Rosary Crusades – Community prayer gatherings across Nigeria, fostering devotion and unity
    • Youth Ministry & Youth Center – We offer mentorship, formation, and safe spaces for young people
    • Family Light of the Nation Apostolate – We support families through spiritual guidance and outreach
    • Boarding Homes for Girls –We serve in Boarding Homes providing safe, faith-filled environments for vulnerable girls.    

Community Health Development and Wellness

The IHM Sisters are committed to offering compassionate and holistic healthcare to individuals suffering from illness, especially those who cannot afford treatment. Rooted in our faith and mission, we serve communities across Africa through a network of hospitals, clinics, and outreach programs that prioritize dignity, education, and healing.

A nurse holding medical supplies beside an elderly patient in a hospital room.
Healthcare workers attend to a baby in an incubator under blue light treatment.
A nurse checks blood pressure of a woman in a crowded clinic.
A group of women, including nuns and nurses, posing outside a school building.
A healthcare worker checks a patient's blood pressure in a clinic.
A man joyfully watches over two newborn babies wrapped in colorful blankets.
Nurses attending to mothers and babies in a bright clinic room.
Healthcare workers attend to patients in a busy clinic setting.
Healthcare workers attending to a patient in a hospital bed.
Healthcare worker in full protective gear inside a medical facility.
A man in a wheelchair receiving a gift from a woman in a blue habit.
A joyful grandmother with two newborns in a hospital room.

  • Our Mission in Action

    • Unfunded Patients – Charity Care
      Our charity program ensures access to treatment regardless of financial status.
    • Mental Health Care
      We address emotional and psychological well-being through counseling, support groups, and trauma-informed care.
    • Community Outreach
      Mobile clinics and health campaigns extend our reach to underserved populations.
    • Women’s Health Education
      Our programs empower women with knowledge about reproductive health, nutrition, hygiene, and disease prevention.
    • Holistic Development Initiatives
      We partner with institutions and organizations to promote systemic well-being—spiritually, physically, and socially.

EDUCATION - Education and Scholarship

The IHM Sisters are deeply committed to transforming lives through education. Across Nigeria and Ghana, we operate and support a network of schools that serve as beacons of hope for children and young women—especially those from underserved communities. Across Africa: Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Benin republic, Sierra Leone, Chad, etc. we operate and support a network of schools that serve as beacons of hope for children and young women—especially those from underserved communities.

A nun teaching students in a classroom raising their hands.
Teacher assisting two young students in a classroom.
A nurse educating schoolchildren in a classroom setting.
Young students in blue uniforms attentively seated in a classroom.
Students in blue uniforms learning computer skills in a classroom.
Teacher instructing students in a classroom with green walls.
A nun in white habit engaging with local children and adults outdoors.
Group of women in blue uniforms and hats posing outdoors with nuns.

  • Scholarships That Change Lives

    Our scholarship program ensures that hundreds of students—from primary school to nursing college—receive:

    • Tuition, Room, and Board
    • School supplies including books, pens, pencils, and toys
    • Computers and learning resources
    • Support for the families of scholarship recipients when needed

    These scholarships are more than financial aid—they are lifelines. They empower students to pursue education with dignity, hope, and the tools they need to succeed.

CLIMATE SUSTENANCE: Environmental Sustainability and Infrastructure

Agriculture and livelihood Projects: We engage in agricultural practices and animal husbandry initiatives at both subsistence and cooperative levels. Our efforts are directed toward empowering communities by improving food security and fostering economic opportunities.

A nun handing an item to a woman inside a room with windows.
Person in blue attire pouring liquid into a container inside a rustic shed.
Two people feeding chickens in a poultry farm with cage layers.
A flooded agricultural field with young crops struggling in waterlogged soil.
Person working in a green garden with various plants and corn stalks.
Person tending to leafy greens in a lush garden.
Two women harvesting crops in a lush green farm.
A pink pig standing in a small pen with a concrete floor.
Nuns in blue habits tending to plants in a garden.
Rows of traditional clay pots with wooden ladles inside, drying on the ground.
People cooking large meals outdoors in multiple pots under a rustic shelter.
Three smiling nuns holding fresh green vegetables in a garden.
A pile of crushed red and black plastic pieces.
Old electrical control panel mounted on a green wall with wires connected.
Inverter and solar battery setup in a room with brown walls.
Solar panels installed on a red-tiled roof under a clear blue sky.

  • Mission in Action:

    • Animal husbandry-poultry, fishery, piggery, beekeeping, etc
    • Cosmetics & Cleaning Products
    • Sewing Industries
    • Rural Water Projects
    • Solar Energy Initiative

Vocation and Formation:

Formation is a sacred journey—a process of spiritual, emotional, and intellectual preparation for young women who feel called to join our religious institute. It is not merely a stage of entry, but a lifelong path. Every Sister, from her first steps to her final breath, remains in formation through ongoing renewal, reflection, and mission.

Vocation is a divine call while Formation is a transformative sacred journey—a process of spiritual, emotional, and intellectual preparation for young women who feel called to join our religious institute. It is not merely a stage of entry, but a lifelong path. Every Sister, from her first steps to her final breath, remains in formation through ongoing renewal, reflection, and mission.

Large group of people in red and blue uniforms posing outdoors by a cross monument.
A diverse group of people posing on building steps, including children and adults.
Group of women in blue uniforms seated in a room.
Nurses in white uniforms and blue caps standing in a line outdoors.
Nuns in blue habits stand in a church holding lit candles.
A group of nuns standing in front of a building.
A group of nuns posing outside a building.
A group of nuns standing in a circle inside a room.
Group of nuns seated in a church or chapel, dressed in gray habits.
Nuns kneeling in prayer inside a church.
Group of nuns in blue habits standing outside a building.
Nuns in blue habits singing together inside a church.
Nuns singing hymns in a church pew.
A group of nuns in white habits and blue veils standing together outside.
A group of nuns standing together outside a building.
Group of nuns and women posing together on steps.
Group photo of nursing staff and trainees in uniform outside a building.
Group of nuns in grey and white habits standing outdoors near palm trees.
Group of nuns dressed in white and blue habits posing outdoors.
Three nuns smiling and holding books, with two women and a child in the background.
A group of nuns in blue and white habits standing outdoors.
Group of nuns in white and blue habits standing outdoors.
A group of nuns in blue and white habits posing together outside.
Three smiling nuns in blue and white habits standing together indoors.
A religious ceremony with nuns and altar servers in traditional attire.
Three smiling nuns dressed in blue and white habits outdoors.
Nuns in blue and white habits smiling and holding papers inside a church.
A choir of nuns singing in a church.
Nuns lying prostrate during a religious ceremony inside a church.
Choir of women in blue dresses singing in a church.
A group of women in blue and white robes standing in front of a church.
Group of nuns in white and blue habits posing on steps.
A smiling nun in white habit holding a book, standing against a brick wall.
A group of people in traditional attire standing on steps outside a building.
Nuns in white and blue habits joyfully raise their hands inside a church.
A group of nuns walking outdoors in white habits.

  • The stages of initial formation include:

    • Aspirancy 
    • Postulancy
    • Novitiate 
    • Scholasticate
    • Temporary Profession

  • Mission in Action: Ongoing formation

    • Tertianship – Offered in Nigeria as a deep renewal phase before final vows
    • Training of Sisters – Conducted globally to equip Sisters for specialized ministries
    • Associates Program – Available in all countries to support lay collaborators in our mission
    • Sabbatical Program – Each year, selected Sisters are sent on sabbatical to renew their spirit and deepen their vocational call. We actively raise funds to make this experience enriching and restorative.

SOCIAL - Care for Vulnerable Persons/The Poor/Other Social Services

At every level—individual, communal, and institutional—the IHM Sisters respond to the urgent needs of those who depend on our charity to live with dignity. We serve the vulnerable offering food, shelter, education, and spiritual care across multiple countries.

Group of elderly people in wheelchairs inside a room with a caregiver.
A nurse attends to a patient in a modest room with a woman watching.
A nurse in white attending to a patient while a woman watches in a modest room.
Woman in white headscarf feeding a young child with a spoon.
Group of children and adults sitting on colorful mats indoors.
A woman and children playing with a yellow ball indoors.
Nuns and children gathered in a modest room, engaging in activities.
A nurse wearing a white uniform caring for a young child in a hospital bed.
Nuns and children gathered in a room for a community activity.
An elderly woman in traditional attire holds a baby in a tiger costume by a window.
People sitting and eating in a casual indoor setting with packaged goods nearby.
Group of children and adults, some in school uniforms, gathered outdoors near a building.
A group of people gathered outdoors listening to a speaker in religious attire.
Three elderly women in colorful dresses sitting around a table sharing a meal.
A caregiver shares a meal with children around a table.
A woman serving food to children seated on the floor.
A nun handing out food to children in a community gathering.
A woman in blue comforting an older woman in patterned clothing indoors.
Group of elderly people socializing on a covered porch with caregivers.
A nun embraces a young child holding a colorful bag, surrounded by other nuns.
Group of children sitting and standing around a wooden bench indoors.
A joyful adult with two smiling toddlers in matching outfits.
Two women in blue habits packing food items at a table.
Two women in blue uniforms organizing colorful fabric in a workshop.
Four women sitting around a table crafting with white materials.
Four women engaged in knitting together indoors during the day.
A man holding a baby lying on a hospital bed, another person gently touching the baby.
Nuns preparing and decorating an outdoor area with white cloth and an umbrella.
Nuns holding umbrellas on a rainy path surrounded by greenery.
Nuns smiling and standing outdoors on a rainy day.
Group of people gathered outside a green house with a canopy tent.
Man in white robe entering a green building with others nearby.

  • Our Mission in Action:

    • Mother of Christ Compassionate Home
      A sanctuary for persons living with HIV/AIDS, offering holistic care and dignity.
    • Hope Children’s Home 
      A refuge for street children and children living with HIV/AIDS.
    • Retirement Homes 
      Free housing and care for elderly Sisters and lay persons—no one pays.
    • IHM Boarding Home for Girls 
      A safe and nurturing environment for vulnerable girls.

  • Ministries of Compassion

    • Heerey Caring Hands 
      Feeding the poor daily with love and dignity.
    • Widows’ Apostolate 
      Building homes, offering care, and ensuring dignified burials for vulnerable widows.
    • Mater Christi Counseling Center 
      Residential mental health care and youth ministry.
    • Camp for Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) – Igboho, Nigeria
      Emergency shelter and support for displaced families.
    • Family Light of the Nation Apostolate – Supporting families in crisis.

  • Global Outreach

    • Madonna Renewal Center – Freeport, USA
    • Compassionate Kitchen – Stoke-on-Trent, England
    • Homelessness Ministries – Kenya, Nigeria, USA
    • Prison Ministry (Especially for Women) – Nigeria
    • Sharing and Caring Hands (Volunteers) – Minneapolis, MN
    • Support for Families in Extreme Poverty – Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya