Three networks of Religious Women, established by the Conference of Major Superiors of Religious, Ghana (CMSR-GH) and funded by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation have concluded a week-long, intensive Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) workshop in Sunyani, located in the Bono Region.
The five-day residential programme, which commenced on Monday, July 6, 2026, at the Eusbett Hotel, was designed to enhance institutional efficiency, data accountability, and project sustainability across the participating congregations.
Fostering Collaboration for Social Development
The training session brought together key stakeholders, project coordinators, and administrators from the three distinct networks: ConPAHT-Talitha Kum Ghana (Consecrated Persons Against Human Trafficking), the Catholic Sisters Elderly Care Network-Ghana (CSECNG), and the Catholic Sister Communicators Network-Ghana (CASCON-GH).
This joint initiative aimed to equip participants with modern, evidence-based tools to effectively track, evaluate, and report on various social development interventions, educational programmes, and pastoral projects across the Dioceses and Religious institutions in the country.
Introducing the facilitator, Sr. Victoria Suanzy-Essien, SSND, described Mr. Tom Olila as an experienced and seasoned mentor well-versed in all aspects of project management.
M&E as a Vital Tool for Pastoral Stewardship
Addressing the participants during the opening session, Mr. Olila underscored that Monitoring and Evaluation should not be viewed merely as a bureaucratic requirement, but rather as a vital tool for pastoral stewardship.
He urged the sisters and network administrators to measure progress with precision and transparency, ensuring that their pastoral interventions genuinely impact human lives and uphold human dignity.
Mr. Olila challenged the participants to embrace innovation and creativity within their ministries in order to stand out. “Most donors may ask you: What is innovative about your proposal or your project? What is unique about it?” he noted.
Core Operational Areas and Capacity Building
The workshop focused heavily on Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) frameworks, covering four major areas: Financial Management, Strategy, Programme Management, and Organisational Development.
Key areas of capacity building included:
*Developing Robust M&E Frameworks: Designing logical models tailored specifically to faith-based and community-centred initiatives.
*Data Collection Mechanics: Utilizing both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods to accurately assess community needs and project success.
*Data-Driven Decision Making: Transforming raw data into actionable insights for institutional growth and transparent reporting to international partners.
As part of the practical training, participants engaged in intensive, network-based group presentations structured strictly around the Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation (PME) Framework. These sessions allowed the different networks to present real-world models, peer-review their data strategies, and align their upcoming pastoral and social intervention projects with international reporting standards.
Strategic Discussions and Tailored Solutions
Apart from the joint sessions, a key highlight of the workshop involved exclusive, network-specific discussions between Mr. Tom Olila and each individual network.
These targeted sessions, spread across the week, were strategically designed to guide each network through its unique operational mandates and specific institutional goals.
In a vote of thanks, Sr. Agnes Mercy Nyatsoe, SMMC assured Mr. Olila that the knowledge acquired during this five-day convergence had significantly upgraded the administrative and reporting capacities of the participating networks, and would go a long way to enhance transparency and accountability in their local and international reporting.
The Role of CASCON-GH
Members of the Catholic Sister Communicators Network-Ghana (CASCON-GH) served as the primary media frontliners during the event.
True to their mandate of projecting the mission of the Church and Consecrated Persons, CASCON-GH successfully documented the entire proceedings.
This ensures that critical lessons, network-based group presentations, and institutional outcomes are well-preserved for future implementation and reporting across the various congregations.
Spiritual Touch of the Workshop
The workshop was not just a physical activity. It included spiritual nourishment of the participants, where Rev. Fr John Opong Baah, the Spiritual Director for St. James Minor Seminary Secondary School, Sunyani celebrated Holy Masses for them.
Workshop Leadership and Participants
The successful closing of the workshop on Friday, July 10, 2026, was marked by the active participation of leadership figures across the networks, including:
CASCON-GH: Sr. Emmanuella Dakurah, HHCJ (Director); Sr. Agnes Mercy Nyatsoe, SMMC (Assistant Director); Sr. Rebecca Asante, SVI (Finance Manager); Sr. Gifty Anastasia Blewu, SMMC (Organiser/PRO).
Talitha Kum, Ghana: Sr. Fidelia Unigwe, DC (National Coordinator); Ms. Eugenia Akoto–Mensah (Programme Manager).
CSECNG: Sr. Victoria Suanzy-Essien, SSND (Project Manager); Sr. Immaculate Lugugia, DC (Wellness Coordinator); Sr. Mary Asumta Zaagbeb, SMI (Wellness Coordinator); Mr. Emmanuel Abedu (Administrative Assistant).
By: Sr. Agnes Mercy Nyatsoe, SMMC (Catholic Sister Communicators Network, Ghana – CASCON-GH)
