About us

We, the Little Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi, belong to a Third Order Regular and an indigenous Institute of Diocesan Right. Our institute was founded on May 1, 1923 in Uganda by the late Mother Mary Kevin Kearney, a Franciscan Missionary for Africa. We are a missionary community of Catholic sisters who reach out in service to the poor and the marginalized in society.
Our institute is an inter-ethnic community with over forty diverse groups drawn from Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Our mother house is located in the Diocese of Lugazi, Uganda and the Generalate is in Jinja Diocese, Uganda.

The Little Sisters in collaboration with associates, staff, benefactors, donors, and volunteers are actively involved in works of mercy, bringing the good news to those in the margins of society. Through love and service the sisters continue to improve the lives of the very poor. Our missionary work is growing within the three East African countries of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda as well as in the United States where we have a dozen sisters serving the needy and the marginalized.