The year 2026 marks a special milestone for the Scalabrinian Sisters as they celebrate the 25th anniversary of Bienvenu Shelter in Johannesburg, South Africa. Founded in the early 2000s, the shelter emerged from the urgent need to welcome migrant and refugee women arriving in the country with their children, often without housing, protection, or any support network.
Throughout its journey, the shelter has become a reference point in the care and promotion of human dignity, offering not only emergency accommodation but also social, psychological, and spiritual support, as well as opportunities for professional training.
In an interview with Vatican News, Sr. Marivane Chiesa, a Scalabrinian Missionary and director of Bienvenu Shelter, recalled that the shelter’s mission has always been rooted in the commitment to restoring hope to women marked by experiences of violence, poverty, forced displacement, and social exclusion. “We are not simply celebrating 25 years of existence. We are celebrating hope, solidarity, and the many lives rebuilt along this journey,” she affirmed.
She also emphasized that the project was born through the collaboration of different religious congregations and Catholic Church organizations united by the shared desire to respond concretely to the needs of migrants and refugees. Since its foundation, the Scalabrinian Sisters have carried out this mission in partnership with the Sisters of the Holy Family, the Jesuit Refugee Service, and the Archdiocese of Johannesburg.
Beyond providing shelter, Bienvenu Shelter also carries out important empowerment work through the Madre Assunta Centre, a space connected to the shelter where courses in sewing, cooking, computer skills, beauty care, and entrepreneurship are offered. The initiative seeks to promote financial independence for the women assisted and open new possibilities for their families.
During the Vatican News report, special attention was also given to the atmosphere of coexistence and integration fostered within the shelter. Women from different African countries build bonds of friendship and mutual support, overcoming cultural and national barriers through the shared experience of beginning again.
Sr. Analita Candaten, Provincial Councilor of the Scalabrinian Missionaries in the Province Mary, Mother of Migrants, underlined that the mission alongside migrants continues to be a concrete expression of the Gospel and the Scalabrinian charism. “The Gospel does not allow us to remain indifferent. It continually calls us to welcome, listen to, and walk alongside the most vulnerable,” she emphasized.
Even within a social context marked by episodes of xenophobia and migration-related tensions in South Africa, Bienvenu Shelter remains a testimony of fraternity and care. The mission continues thanks to the support of volunteers, partners, and benefactors who believe in the importance of offering protection and new opportunities to the women and children welcomed there.
As it celebrates 25 years of service, Bienvenu Shelter reaffirms the commitment of the Scalabrinian Missionaries to the life, dignity, and hope of people on the move.
Read the full Vatican News report:
https://www.vaticannews.va/pt/africa/news/2026-05/mulheres-migrantes-refugiadas-scalabrinianas-abrigo-esperanca.html
