Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur Partner with UPS and Nonprofit

Nov. 21, 2011 - PRLog -- Ipswich, Mass. – In its continuing efforts to combat systemic poverty, the Congregation of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur recently joined forces with the International Medical Equipment Collaborative (IMEC) and the United Parcel Service.  The collaboration – the first of its kind among the three entities – resulted in the shipment of hundreds of farming implements to impoverished schools in the Tambogrande region of northern Peru.  

IMEC, known for providing donated medical equipment to impoverished communities around the world, recently approached the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur about disbursing its first agricultural shipment overseas. The Congregation is serving as the shepherding agency for the shipment,  distributing  the brand new farm equipment throughout the Sisters' network of schools and missions in rural Peru.  

“It’s essential that people have access to tools to take care of themselves and contribute to the larger community,” said Sister Leonore Coan, director of the Congregation’s Mission Support Office in Ipswich, Mass. “Whether it’s education in the classroom or agricultural instruction in the fields, Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur are engaged in empowering people living in poverty. We are so grateful to both IMEC and UPS for supporting our work.”

During the first week of September, 40 shrink-wrapped parcels, or “suites,” of farm implements were loaded onto a sea container at IMEC’s headquarters in North Andover, Mass. Every suite was packed with implements to support a small farm. Each of the 32 schools  operated by the Sisters in the rural Tambogrande region will receive one of the farm suites. Equipped with both the education and tools necessary to establish small farms, graduating students will be able to transform their historically impoverished villages into thriving communities.  

United Parcel Service, whose employees frequently volunteer at IMEC during corporate-sponsored community service days, agreed to donate the cost of shipping the agricultural equipment and supplies.

As the last of the shipment was loaded on the sea container in September, Sister Leonore Coan, IMEC President Tom Keefe, and other key IMEC representatives prayed that the tools will be used to cultivate more fruit-filled and fruitful lives in Peru.

"We are grateful for the opportunity to work with the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur to alleviate global poverty,” said IMEC President Tom Keefe.  “We are glad to be a resource for the Sisters’ important work in Peru."

For more information on this unique collaboration and photos of the project, visit  
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs020/1103923442549/ar...

Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur are an international religious Congregation of women, founded by St. Julie Billiart (1751-1816) in Amiens, France in 1804.  The Sisters are committed to make known God’s goodness through education in a variety of ministries on five continents: Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and North America. The Sisters work to change lives by “a fundamental commitment to stand with their sisters and brothers who live in poverty and accompany them in their struggle.” The Congregation staffs offices/centers in Rome, Italy, Namur, Belgium and Ipswich, Mass., USA.

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Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur work in 17 countries on five continents. Their mission is to address the needs of those suffering from systemic poverty and teach them what they need to know to live healthy, productive and faith-filled lives.