The history of the Little Company of Mary in Zimbabwe begins in 1937, prior to independence. Forced out of Rhodesia by political instability, we returned to the “new” Zimbabwe after independence.

In a country struggling to secure its stability, our works are varied. Four sisters currently work in our hospital in Harare - St. Anne’s - which is currently passing into shared ownership with a healthcare company called Afrox

On the same property is our formation house, where Sisters Breda Conway, Bridget Kelly and Maura Glynn and five novices are in residence. If you would like more information about the Little Company of Mary or are interested in exploring the life and ministries of Little Company of Mary Associates, Affiliates or Sisters, you can contact the community here.

Also in Harare is to be found MASHAMBANZOU (Dawn of a new Day)- a centre for people with HIV/AIDS. This was established initiated by Sister Noreen Nolan LCM. Noreen died last year, but her work is carried on by Margaret McAllen - who now runs the centre, and Anna Carey who works in an outreach programme for AIDS orphans. Read more HERE

Murambinda Hospital is situated about 300 km to the south of Harare. It is a poverty stricken part of the country. Originally built by the Little Company of Mary in 1970, it is now a government district hospital. Sister Barbara Armstrong is the matron, and Srs. Fillys Madziya and Rosarie Chikanga are employed as nurses. Sister Aine Cunniffe works in home based care for families affected with HIV/AIDS. Read more on Murimbinda by clicking HERE

In Mutare, near the Mozambique border, Sister Fahanan Moriarty lives alone and works on a team providing home-based care for terminally ill families. AIDS care forms a large part of the works of the communities in Zimbabwe - as does the care of the children left orphans by its spread. 

Our communities reflect our cultural diversity. In Zimbabwe, Black Africans constitute nearly 98 percent of Zimbabwe's indigenous population; less than 1 percent are white, and the remainder are Asians and peoples of mixed racial origin. The white population, mostly of Rhodesian, South African, and British origins, increased from 80,000 in 1945 to a peak of 277,000 in 1977 and then declined through emigration. Of the black majority, mostly Bantu, 77 percent belong to the Shona linguistic group and are commonly referred to as Mashona; about 20 percent are members of the ethnically related Ndebele speaking tribes known as Matabele. Smaller black ethnic groups include the Sotho, Sena, and Tonga.

The Little Company of Mary communities in Zimbabwe are committed to care for the needs of the people in their continuing struggle against poverty, AIDS and injustice at all levels of society. .