From Congo to Ukraine, Augustinians across the World Foundation marks ten years of activity. Misitano: “Our mission is service, guided by sobriety and rigour”

From Congo to Kenya, and from India to Venezuela, including support for Ukrainian refugees, the projects carried out by the Augustinians Across the World Foundation reflect a growing and structured commitment. The Foundation – recognised as an NGO by the United Nations in 1997 – was established in 2014 as a natural continuation of the Order of Saint Augustine’s social works, with headquarters in Rome, on Via Paolo VI, close to the Vatican. The Foundation draws its inspiration from Pope Leo XIV, former Father Robert Prevost and Prior General of the Order. The decision to start a school in Nigeria in 2006 highlighted the shortcomings of a fragmented approach, with provinces operating separately, and the necessity for an international coordination framework to support and manage the projects.

Projects and areas of intervention

At present, the majority of the Foundation’s activities – around 90% – are focused on Africa, with 7% in Asia and 3% in Latin America. It operates in an extensive number of countries across the globe. In Africa, Algeria, Mozambique, Nigeria, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Benin and Togo; in Asia, India and Indonesia; in the Americas, Cuba, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela; and in Europe, Ukraine and Italy. “Our objective is to carry out projects that are of benefit not only to the friars, but to the wider community. That is why we always collaborate with local organisations — they guarantee continuity and reliability,” explains Executive Director Maurizio Misitano.

The Foundation’s mission is focused on four key areas: education, training, social welfare, and peace education.

 Its flagship projects include the centre for the reintegration of former child soldiers in Dungu, recognised by Misereor as the most successful project funded in the DRC; a school inclusion programme for disabled children in Kisumu, Kenya, awarded by the Italian Church; a women’s cooperative in Kinshasa; agricultural programs in Mozambique and Kenya; and projects for support to small farmers, awarded by Misean Cara. These projects demonstrate that small steps can change people’s lives. It is our mission to reach out to the most vulnerable within the most vulnerable groups, ” adds Misitano.

Impact and resources

In 2024, the projects benefited nearly 25,000 people, 97% of whom were children and adolescents, mostly girls. “Our interest lies not solely in the quantitative aspects of these initiatives, but rather in the societal transformations they effect,” observes Misitano. Looking at the financial data, €1,325,317 were raised in 2024, marking a 39.6% increase compared to the previous year.

Ninety-four percent of the funds were allocated directly to projects: 90% went to projects in Africa and 4% to projects in Asia, while the remaining 6% covered management costs.

“Obtaining financial resources is a challenge, allocating them in the best possible way is an even greater challenge. To this end, we adopted financial monitoring and reporting systems that comply with EU guidelines. Opening a school means making sure it functions properly, ensuring the teaching staff is adequately trained and that the school meets the needs of the local community,” Misitano points out. The structure is deliberately minimal: two full-time members of staff and a management fee that never exceeds 5% of project costs and is not always applied. “Sometimes, when people meet us, they assume we are part of a large organisation, but in reality there are very few of us. Additional support, when needed, is provided by the General Curia, but we never use the funds allocated to the projects. We have a responsibility towards those who entrust us with donations and towards the communities we are helping.”

A personal and community journey

Misitano’s personal experience is the driving force behind this reality, which has led him to engage in this cooperative endeavour: He recalls, “A trip to India and an encounter with a little girl marked the turning point. Today, that little girl has graduated and is independent. “She says that I changed her life, but I reply that it was her who changed mine.” Over time, our collaborations with Italian, German and Spanish friars, as well as with new local vocations, have grown, indicating our Order’s dynamism and renewal.

The bond with Pope Leo XIV was equally decisive: “The words of wisdom that the world hears from him today I witnessed firsthand years ago in his humility and simplicity. I remember greeting him at the opening of the Chapter and saying to him, “Holy Father, we need your advice.” He replied, “So do I need yours.”

The Foundation’s style, which is sober, attentively discreet and firmly out of the spotlight, also originates therein. “We are the Order’s Foundation. We cannot afford to make mistakes because a mistake would harm those who ask for our help. That is why our work is characterised by sobriety and rigour,” concludes Misitano, “in the awareness that our mission is, above all, a service. We are not motivated by a sense of duty, but by love.”