The Little Children of the Virgin Mary at Chikuni, Zambia, 1948

From 1920 to 1948, the Sisters of Notre Dame lived and worked in Chikuni, in North Rhodesia (today Zambia). There, some young students of the Sisters of Notre Dame and of the Jesuits expressed the desire to become religious.  They received a veil and a blue-grey uniform. When the number of candidates reached ten, Msgr. Chichester, from Salisbury in Southern Rhodesia decided that they should go to Musami to make their novitiate with the African sisters of the Dominican mission and that they would form later a Diocesan Congregation, “The Little Children of the Virgin Mary”. It was decided that they would return to Chikuni after their formation in order to work under the direction of the SNDs but in 1948, the SNDs left Northern Rhodesia.  Today, this Congregation, inspired by the spirit of Saint Julie, are known as the “Servants of the Blessed Virgin Mary” of Lusaka. The sisters work in various ministries and have communities in three dioceses.