When she was 17 years old, Awa came to stay at SSND Girls Hostel in Bwiam, The Gambia, to study at Fatima Senior School. It was a big step for her, having come from a small, rural village more than four hours away. The new environment took some getting used to for Awa. She was quiet and a bit unsure of herself at first, often lingering at the periphery instead of joining in. The academic load, more demanding than she was accustomed to, sometimes left her doubting her abilities—especially in subjects like math and English.
It wasn’t long, however, before Awa began to flourish under the support and guidance provided by the hostel. “The structured study schedule at the hostel helped her build discipline,” said Sister Marie Mendy, manager of the hostel. “With supervised prep time and encouragement from the sisters and peers, Awa began organizing her work and asking for help when she did not understand a lesson. Her peers supported her by forming small study groups, where they worked together and explained difficult topics to one another.”
Life at the hostel fosters a strong sense of community among the girls who live there.
Beyond academics, Awa was encouraged to participate in hostel activities. She joined the choir and later took on the role of assistant leader for the group. These experiences gradually strengthened her confidence. She learned to speak up, express her ideas, and take on greater responsibility.
By her final year, Awa had transformed remarkably. She became one of the top students in her class and a role model for younger girls in the hostel. When she left the hostel, she did so as a confident, disciplined, and self-assured young woman, ready to pursue higher education and take on leadership roles wherever her life might take her.
Awa’s story, though unique to her, is not unusual. Since its establishment in 1991, SSND Girls Hostel has made it possible for more than 700 young women to undertake and succeed at a rigorous secondary education. Not only does the SSND-sponsored ministry provide students with a place to live in instances where a daily commute is not feasible, it also provides a safe, nurturing, and structured environment where girls are supported in their academic, personal, spiritual, and social development. “Students here can focus on their studies while learning important life values such as respect, cooperation, unity, and service to others,” said Sister Marie.
Natural light floods the church at SSND Girls Hostel.
The girls’ days are busy with daily mass, school, structured study time, chores, evening prayer, and plenty of fun activities. Girls can participate in environmental clubs, choir, games and sports, and community service. They also bond through special occasion celebrations, retreats and reflections days, and the many moments of togetherness that come with communal living.
“Living in the hostel brings together girls from different families, communities, cultures, and faith traditions,” said Sister Marie. “This diversity becomes a valuable learning experience that teaches them how to live peacefully and respectfully with others. The hostel experience also instills in them the values of learning respect for difference, practicing tolerance and open-mindedness, developing empathy, building friendships, and growing into responsible global citizens.”
During the Lenten season, the girls spent time praying with the cross every Thursday evening.
Sister Marie knows from personal experience the impact SSND Girls Hostel can have on the students who live there. She herself stayed at the hostel while she was a student, an opportunity she says shaped her life by supporting her personal growth, shaping her character, boosting her confidence, and cultivating her independence. “For me, living in an SSND hostel was more than simply staying away from home,” said Sister Marie. “It was in the hostel that I came to appreciate the aspect of responsibility and learned to manage my time, organize my belongings, follow schedules, and meet expectations without struggle. The clear rules and routines the hostel operates under shaped habits of punctuality, order, and accountability in my life.”
Today’s students find their experience much the same, enjoying the sense of community and belonging they find there and appreciating the safe and structured environment that allows them to focus on their studies and experience a range of activities. “We feel supported and cared for,” said one student. “The hostel offers us opportunities to grow and experience life in meaningful, enriching ways that will prepare us for adult life and help us become confident, responsible, and independent.”