West Africa Section

Welcome

Presentation of the section

The West Africa Section comprises 9 countries: Côte d’Ivoire, where the head office has been located since 1967, Burkina Faso, Benin, Guinea Conakry, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal and Togo. Since the RECOWA (Regional Episcopal Conference of West Africa) is the managing community and has merged with the English-speaking and Portuguese-speaking countries of West Africa, the section has been able to open itself up to those countries that are interested in the mutual society.

The Section has 6,817 affiliate members from 44 dioceses, 100 male and female congregations, 11 monasteries, 16 New Communities, 9 Academic Units and institutions of the RECOWA.

Our offices are located on the RECOWA’s premises, the location of permanent meetings of Bishops, priests and religious. As such, we welcome affiliate members every day for a variety of reasons, either regarding membership, assistance, advice, guidance, convalescence rest, etc.… or simply to say hello and discover the head office of their mutual society if they come from other countries and are passing through Côte d’Ivoire.

We are encouraged and supported by the Bishops of the RECOWA and all its Institutions who pass by and discover the IMS close up.

 

 

LATEST NEWS

GROUPS OF THE WEST AFRICA SECTION

Sister Eugenie Dena

Manager of the West Africa section

Every year we have new members and those who retire to experience their own insurance or who adhere to the country’s health coverage. There are certainly financial difficulties for some groups, but the spirit of solidarity and sharing is well played out among members who encourage each other. At the meetings of the Major Superiors a lot of exchange and experience are made on the IMS and this earns us invitations.

Participations in diocesan days only in Ivory Coast given the health crisis. We have very regular contacts with local hospitals and clinics and even in some countries of the section. A background work to do and to follow.

We have reception centres accredited by the IMS for rest convalescence (Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Mali, Togo). Six (6) CERAO chambers are approved and made available to the IMS and allow affiliates to spend their rest convalescent from other countries. They are accompanied humanly, spiritually and financially by the help of the social fund. This has become a real pastoral for our section. A social funds commission that meets at least twice a year for this purpose.

We are encouraged and supported by the Bishops of CERAO and all its institutions that pass through and discover the IMS up close.

Sister Rolande

West Africa Section

Daughter of the Heart of Mary

Since I was in training, I have always heard the word IMS, without really knowing what it meant. Later, our superiors informed us that the province of Africa was no longer enrolled with the IMS.  We were sorry. For years, we remained without being members. We tried to join mutual societies, however we remained unsatisfied until the day, at an Assembly of major superiors in Dassa Zoumè, Benin, I met Sister Dena, Head of an IMS Section. She presented the Association so well, it transfixed me. I had personal conversations with her. 

I talked with some of the institutes that are members and which praised the West Africa IMS, so I discussed the topic with my sisters who were in favour of joining. 

 

I can count on Sister Dena for responsible, fraternal and understanding participatory membership with respect and collaboration. 

All for the greater glory of God. In great union. 

 

RESOURCES

Covid-19 and community life

Fiche santé

Sign of severity, behaviour to adopt.

Prayer for end of the coronavirus disease

Prayer

Written by the bishops of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar