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PACEM: Bringing Relief to the Most Abandoned

Restoring Hope: Emergency Relief and Early Recovery in Northern Nigeria

Communities in the Diocese of Kontagora, Niger State, Nigeria, continue to face the devastating impact of terrorist and armed group attacks. Parishes served by the Society of African Missions (SMA) have been among the most affected. Families have lost loved ones, homes have been destroyed, and thousands have been forced to flee for safety. Incidents such as the kidnapping of schoolgirls from a boarding facility run by the OLA Sisters in Papiri highlight the depth of insecurity and trauma in the region. For rural households whose survival depends largely on subsistence farming, displacement brings not only fear but also hunger […]

Boreholes Drilling in Lusso

In many parts of the world, access to clean water is something people rarely think about. Yet in Lusso, a community in Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, safe water is not always guaranteed. For families here, water is more than a basic need — it is the foundation of health, dignity, and opportunity. PACEM is currently drilling boreholes in Lusso to provide reliable access to clean and safe drinking water. These boreholes will serve as a lifeline for the community, reducing the risk of waterborne diseases, easing the burden on women and children who often walk long […]

Building Hope Through Education in Zimmi, Sierra Leone

The Society of African Missions (SMA), through the Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Mission in Zimmi, Sierra Leone, is undertaking a major educational project: the construction of four new classroom blocks at St Martin’s Primary School, located in Makpele Chiefdom, Pujehun District. The mission of Zimmi is entrusted to the SMA by the Catholic Bishop of Bo. It is a mission of primary evangelization in a predominantly Muslim region, serving four chiefdoms with a combined population of over 200,000 people. Education remains one of the most effective tools for both human development and faith presence in this context. St […]

Means of Transport For Missionary Agents

Reliable vehicles are lifelines for SMA missionaries serving remote rural communities across Africa.Your support helps deliver healthcare, education, and pastoral care where roads are long and resources scarce.With safe transportation, missionaries can reach villages that would otherwise remain isolated.Partner with us to put wheels under this mission and hope into the hands of those most in need.

Be part of Something Eternal: Investing in the SMA Missionary Priests

The story of the Society of African Missions (SMA) is one of faith, sacrifice, and enduring commitment to the evangelization of Africa. Founded in 1856 by Melchior de Marion Brésillac in Lyon, France, the Society was established with a clear and focused purpose: to bring the Gospel to the peoples of Africa and to help build a self-sustaining local Church. From its earliestdays, the SMA understood that mission was not only about preaching, but about forming communities, educating leaders, and empowering local clergy to shepherd their own people. The growth of SMA in AfricaWhen the first SMA missionaries arrived on […]

SMA Mission among the pygmies in Bélémboke, Central African Republic

For over 50 years, the Society of African Missions (SMA) has been present in Bélémboke, a remote rural mission serving predominantly Pygmy communities in the forest regions of the Central African Republic. The people of this area live in conditions of extreme poverty, marked by deep geographical isolation and long-standing social marginalization. Access to essential services such as healthcare, education, pastoral support, and humanitarian assistance remains severely limited, making daily life a constant struggle for many families. In this challenging context, the SMA mission plays a vital role in both spiritual and human development. Alongside evangelization and sacramental ministry, the […]

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Our Areas of Impact

We are committed to transforming lives through consented efforts and home-grown strategies. We work where conflict, poverty, and injustice threaten human dignity.
Through humanitarian assistance, peacebuilding, and community support, we respond to urgent needs and long-term challenges. Our actions focus on protecting lives, restoring hope, and strengthening resilient communities.

Education

Most of our missions in Africa lack basic educational facilities. We consider this unfortunate because this condition continues to perpetuate ignorance and retard human progress.

Health

Health care delivery is still a challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa. Efforts from government and para-governmental organisations in addition to NGOs have been phenomenal but a lot still need to be done.

Water and Sanitation

Clean water and proper sanitation continue to be one of the obstacles to development in Africa. Due to climate change and rapid population growth account for this reality.

Rural development and poverty reduction

It is estimated that 80% of Africa’s population live in rural areas with poverty being its corresponding condition. Many people still live below the poverty line. This reality creates insecurity, widespread health problems, limited access to education, and a cycle of economic hardship.

Climate change

In practice, this means that SMA sees environmental degradation, climate change, and their socio-economic consequences (poverty, food insecurity, displacement, injustice) as part of the mission: not separate from, but integral to,
“the Good News” and service to vulnerable populations.

Pastoral

Africa is still in need of the Gospel of Christ. Many areas have still not heard the gospel of Christ or need revival of the faith. The young population of the continent also calls for attention. However, the SMA does not have enough resources to respond to the pastoral needs of our missions.

Telling Our Stories

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Emergency Relief and Early Recovery in Northern Nigeria

Construct 4 new classroom at Makpele Chiefdom

Boreholes drilling in Lusso

Our Core Values

Board of Directors

Rev. Fr. François DU PENHOAT, SMA

Superior General of the Society of African Missions (SMA)

PACEM’s Board of Directors is presided by Rev. Fr. François du Penhoat, SMA, Superior General of the Society of African Missions (SMA), while Fr. Dennis Senyo Etti, SMA, serves as the foundation’s Executive Director. With their vision and dedication, The Foundation is poised to become a key partner in supporting the social and humanitarian initiatives of the Society of African Missions, helping to improve the lives of those who need it most.

Rev. Fr. Dennis Senyo ETTI, SMA

Executive Director

A seasoned church leader with solid academic training especially in Catholic Social Teachings and experience in in working for social justice, committed to translating vision into effective action.
He brings years of pastoral leadership, strategic coordination, and hands-on humanitarian work to PACEM, ensuring that resources are mobilized efficiently to serve those most in need.