Dominican Sisters International (DSI) is a global confederation of Dominican Sisters. The DSI Solidarity Fund is supported by many congregations of Dominican Sisters for use in emergency situations such as faced in Peru, Brazil, and Argentina today.
Dominican Sisters of Springfield serve in Peru where, according to Sister Mila Diaz Solano, “The pandemic is affecting the indigenous communities in the Panamazonian region (nine countries including Perú). Companies that extract minerals in the region are still operating. Their workers are spreading the virus to indigenous communities. There are not enough resources, ventilators, nor hospitals.” Sister Mila currently serves a a member of the Springfield Dominican leadership team. Read the full report from DSI coordinator Sister Margarate Mayce, OP, below.
ROME, ITALY June 22, 2020—Sister Margaret Mayce, OP, International Coordinator of Dominican Sisters International, made the following report about how the DSI Solidarity Fund is helping our Dominican Sisters in hard hit places in Latin America.
Noemi Zambrano, OP, DSI Continental Coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean, is working with our Sisters in Argentina Brazil, and Peru. The situation in these countries is desperate. The Sisters in Brazil: Terezinha de Sousa and Aparecida de Souza Lopes (Dominicaines de Notre-Dame du Très Saint Rosaire de Monteils) would appreciate financial donations. DSI will be sending assistance to the Sisters in Brazil from the DSI Solidarity Fund. However, for the Sisters in Venezuela, it is better to send parcels of medicine, as there are no medical supplies available. Sister Pilar del Barrio, OP, DSI Continental Coordinator for Europe, will coordinate an effort to send packages to Venezuela. She will purchase medicines and other supplies, and the DSI Solidarity Fund will cover this expense, as well as the cost of shipping the packages.
The packages will be sent to the members of Sister Pilar’s Congregation, Dominicas Misioneras de La Sagrada Familia, and to the Congregación Santo Domingo. The sisters, together with the Justice & Peace Commission of the Dominican Family in Venezuela, will distribute the food and medicine to those most in need.
Solidarity Project for the Prevention of COVID-19 in the Native Communities of Kirigueti (Cusco, Peru) , the Hermanas Misioneras Dominicas del Rosario, and two Dominican Friars have been involved in pastoral work with the indigenous peoples of this Amazon region since 2018. The impact of COVID-19 has devastated the area, and our sisters and brothers are in need of basic, personal protection material (masks and liquid soap) to distribute to medical personnel as well as to the native communities. The DSI Solidarity Fund will make a contribution towards the purchase of this material.
Argentina: Hermanas Dominicas de Nuestra Señora del Rosario y Santa Catalina de Siena (Cabra)
Our sisters and one Dominican brother work in a section of the Province of Buenos Aires where there is a critical food emergency which has been exacerbated by COVID-19. The DSI Solidarity Fund will make a donation to assist with this food emergency crisis.
Even as many of us are beginning to resume some of our daily activities, we know that the effects of COVID-19 will be felt for years to come; especially among those who are already marginalized and vulnerable. We feel that these donations are our collective contribution towards the common good, and hopefully, towards a sense of healing for those who are most in need.
