Daughters of Charity of
St. Vincent De Paul
Who we are
The Daughters of Charity is an international Catholic community of women dedicated to serving poor persons, to walk with them towards empowerment and a more secure and fulfilling way of life. Founded in 1633 in France by St. Vincent de Paul and St. Louise de Marillac, the order is known for its apostolic life, which involves living and working directly among the people they serve in areas such as healthcare, education, and social services. They have a global presence, including a strong and expanding presence in Kenya, where they continue their mission to uphold the dignity of those who are discriminated against or disadvantaged.
Our history in brief
Founded in Paris by St. Vincent de Paul and St. Louise de Marillac, the Daughters of Charity were the first active (non-cloistered) women religious dedicated to service among the poorest people. Service of people living in poverty, and living in simplicity among the people they serve, rather than Religious Life, Enclosure and Vows as they were then defined, were and are to this day their defining characteristic. Over centuries, the congregation expanded worldwide, adapting to local needs while keeping service and human dignity at the core. Today, Daughters of Charity are working in 96 different countries, on all continents worldwide.
The Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul first came to Ireland from Paris in 1855. Ireland, at that time, was very poor and in great need of social and educational services. The initial invitation led the sisters to Drogheda, Co Louth and two years later, in 1857 two houses were opened in Dublin. Since then, the sisters have expanded and diversified their services and over the years have withdrawn from some services and have undertaken new ones in response to changing needs.
Kenya Mission, Province of Ireland
Over time the Sisters from Ireland also served in other mission territories, in Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Fiji and for many years have supported and served in the now thriving Province of Nigeria. In the year 2000 the sisters of the Irish Province were invited by the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians) to give thought to a new mission in Kenya. After two visits to Kenya of members of the leadership team in Ireland, and in consultation with the Archbishop of Nairobi and the Bishop of Kitale, and in collaboration with the Vincentian Priests, a new mission of the Daughters of Charity in Kenya was established in January 2002.
The Irish Province of the Sisters took responsibility for this mission and is still the lead Province for Kenya today, but relied on collaboration with the Province of Rosalie Rendu (Great Britain), Provinces of the USA, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Eritrea, for personnel and financial resources. This began a new and exciting mission which has grown and developed. Under the leadership of the Irish Province, and their generosity, and with supportive visits of the leadership teams, the mission has thrived. In 2025 Kenya and Tanzania missions amalgamated to become a new Region of East Africa.
From the beginning the sisters working in Kenya have had a consciousness of working towards self-reliance and especially to raise funds to support projects on an on-going basis for very many needy people. Many successful projects were made possible by working collaboratively with other Development Organisations, especially Misean Cara Ireland, and the International Project Services of the Daughters of Charity in the USA and Ireland.
What we do in Kenya
In Kenya, our sisters work in Nairobi, Thigio- Limuru, Kiio- Kitui, Mombasa, Kitale town and Chepnyal-W.Pokot. We run clinics, hospice inpatient care, pre-schools, community programmes and respond to emergencies. We prioritise maternal & child health, HIV and AIDS care and prevention, education, and care for children with special needs, empowerment for young women, and teenagers living out of home and on the streets; all are programmes that foster resilience. We work alongside a very dedicated staff in all our programs and are supported by many generous people who wish to be associated with programs that empower and give hope to people who lack opportunities, basic needs or skills to thrive. Together we make a difference!
The most Recent Development
A new Region of East Africa has been created by the amalgamation of the Kenya and Tanzania missions of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul. The Daughters of Charity Mission in Kenya started in 2002 and the Mission in Tanzania in 2006 as separate entities but on the 28th October 2025 these two entities became the Region of East Africa, under one administration, to strengthen the work the Sisters do for people on the margins of society, to share personnel and resources and to ensure that the vitality of our charism, service and way of life continues and is vibrant and responsive.
Masanga; Mara Province, N. Tanzania: 2006 This mission today has a variety of services, a small hospital for general medical care and a DREAM Centre for people with HIV/AIDS, A large primary school, women’s development courses, a vocational school, and an outreach to the elderly and housebound.
Isenye; Mara Province, N. Tanzania: 2016 This second house is involved in pastoral work and is developing social services. It does outreach work with the elderly and housebound. This is a very rural Community on the edge of the Serengeti National Park. Because of the location of this mission, the sisters face challenges: lack of water, reliable transport and poor and inaccessible roads. The sisters are identifying the needs as they strive to help the most vulnerable and marginalised become more self-reliant and empowered.
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