“Women of Africa, Proclaimers of God’s Mercy: ‘Come and see a man who told me everything I did, could this be the Messiah?’” This was the theme of the 9th Conference of the Africa Region of the World Union of Catholic Women Organization (WUCWO), held in Lilongwe, Malawi from 29 August–5 September. 150 international delegates and 350 local representatives participated in the event, which opened with a Eucharistic Liturgy presided over by Archbishop Thomas Luke Msusa, President of the Malawi Episcopal Conference.
Afterward, Rosaline Nganku Menga, president of the WUCWO Africa Region, opened the work of the meeting by underscoring the importance WUCWO’s importance for the Church and all society. “In spite of the efforts of the Church, some governments and a few non-governmental organizations (NGOs),” she said, “there are still many challenges on this continent. In addition to poverty, illiteracy, gender inequalities, AIDS, corruption and misgovernment, in the last few years there has been an increase in terrorism, ebola, human trafficking, the migration of youth and climate changes.” The purpose of the Conference was to make concrete proposals regarding the family, the Church and society.