Berkley Center

Background: Sister Juliana Ndunge Muli, LSOSF, is a member of Georgetown University’s Women Faith Leaders Fellowship 2025-25 cohort. A member of the Little Sisters of St. Francis, Sr. Juliana has extensive experience in empowering vulnerable communities, particularly women and girls. As the Gender and Units Coordinator for the Association of Sisters of Kenya, she coordinates activities for sisters across Kenya’s 27 Catholic dioceses. Sr. Muli spoke with Luisa Banchoff via Zoom on September 8, 2025. In their conversation, she shared her journey to the sisterhood, her career path in social ministry, and her passion for supporting women and girls. She also reflected on the value of training Catholic Sisters to lead in their communities. The conversation concluded with a discussion of Sr. Muli’s capstone project for the Women Faith Leaders Fellowship, and what she hopes to do next.

Biography: Sister Juliana Ndunge Muli is a member of the Little Sisters of St. Francis, currently serving as the Gender and Units Coordinator for the Association of Sisters of Kenya, the umbrella body of women religious in the country. In this position, she coordinates, trains, and advocates for gender equality and coordinates training initiatives for the empowerment of women and girls. Sr. Muli holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social ministry from Tangaza University College. Her areas of expertise include gender analysis, stakeholder engagement, leadership, and advocacy.

 
To begin, can you share a bit about your background? Where are you from?
My name is Sister Juliana Ndunge Muli. I am from the Eastern Province of Kenya, born and raised in a family of ten children, five girls and five boys. We were brought up in a very strict Catholic manner. My parents encouraged us to go to catechesis, and every couple of weeks, our dad encouraged us to go to confession in order to reconnect with God.

I did my primary education in a Catholic school where the faith and religious practices were instilled in us. Growing up, we were taught and encouraged by our parents to do a lot of charity work, and from time to time, we would visit families who were not very well-to-do. We would also assist schoolgirls and boys who could not meet their basic needs.

What was your journey to becoming a sister?

As a small child, I interacted a lot with the sisters from my parish and especially those who were my primary school teachers and nurses at the dispensary. As little girls, we would spend weekends at the convent playing around in the compound. The sisters in the dispensary would give us cookies and milk before vaccinating us.

It felt good to be surrounded by the nuns. We would ask the sisters a lot of questions on how to become a sister. The sisters at the convent encouraged me to work hard in school and get good results; then I could join them after my form four exams. During my secondary school education, I engaged with the young Catholic Students, a Christian group. We continued doing charity work. I also got involved in the Marian movement, in which we learned about Mary and the virtues she embodied. I began interacting with a sister who was teaching at my school. She encouraged me to pray, to discover what God wants for me, and to visit different congregations to learn about the sisters. I grew very attached to the Little Sisters of St. Francis. From time to time, I would visit them in the convent and see how they were praying together, going to church, and doing ministries in nursing and with children. I would join them for community service such as visiting elderly people.

After finishing form 4 (grade 12), we had a parish priest who encouraged us to think about our future. He told us that we had to make a choice: if we wanted to go into religious life, we should keep to that. If we wanted to continue our studies, we should keep to that. I was torn between the two: I really wanted to study nursing, but at the same time, I wanted to go into religious life. It was very hard for me to make the decision.

When I shared this with my parents, my dad suggested I continue my studies; I could join the religious life later, when I have a better sense of what it entails. But deep within me, I really wanted to enter religious life. My mom said that if I go to the convent, I may continue my education. I went back and talked to the sister, and she told me I can join the congregation and pursue studies later on. At one point, my dad said, don't worry, just go. If things don't work out, you can come back home. After one year at home, I joined the religious life. And God has been so gracious, I've not gone back.

I joined the congregation in Nakuru, in the Rift Valley region of Kenya. Twelve of us joined on the same day. The postulants and novices there were so welcoming; they introduced us to the religious life and encouraged us. During formation, we learned how to deepen our prayer life. We learned how to be Franciscans and carry out the work of St. Francis, who loved nature, creation, and the people of God. It was encouraging because it was similar to what my parents taught me when I was small.

Can you tell me more about your congregation, the Little Sisters of St. Francis?

The charism of the Little Sisters has always been to uplift vulnerable women in society. We follow in the steps of Jesus, St. Francis, and Mother Mary Kevin Kearney, the foundress of our congregation. She left her home in Ireland and came to Uganda in 1903. It was a different culture and environment, but she embraced everyone with love. She loved the women and girls of Uganda. These women were looked down upon and were not given any position in the community; their position was in the kitchen and garden. Mother Kevin assisted them to gain practical skills. She taught them to do beadwork, to bake, to write their names, to speak English, and to learn midwifery. She also encouraged them to go to school and learn. She had come with other sisters who were teachers and nurses, and they would meet the local women and encourage them. They also encouraged the local women to be deeply rooted in prayer. She believed this was the work God was calling her to.

The congregation has grown beyond Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. We have also expanded to the USA and Germany. We are now over 800 sisters working as nurses, lawyers, catechists, teachers, pastoral workers, and secretaries. We are responding to the signs of the times, so we address the needs as they come.

You have a long career in social ministry. What made you decide to pursue this field?

When we are in formation, we are encouraged to listen to our heart and ask ourselves: what is God calling you to do? What do you want to do in the future?

There was a sister I admired when I was in formation. She worked in the community, assisting women and physically handicapped people. I saw the way she was working with a lot of passion. I realized that I really want to empower people. But I was torn between studying nursing and community development. I chose social ministry, because I thought that is where my passion lies. I went to Tangaza University College and did a diploma in social ministry. I conducted research on women’s empowerment, particularly the challenges women face. Later, I also did my bachelor’s and master’s in degree in social ministry, specializing in human resource management.

You currently work as the Gender and Units Coordinator at the Association of Kenyan Sisterhoods. How did you get into this field?

After my formation and training, I was posted to Embu, where I worked with men’s and women’s groups in the church. I would handle the men and women separately, speaking to them about how they could develop their ideas separately and then work together with the opposite gender. Then I would bring the two groups together so they could sit at the same table and discuss issues. We would select a topic, and like a debate, each of them would voice an opinion. I also dealt with small homes for the physically handicapped in Embu. My work was geared towards assisting them with mobility devices and also integrating them into schools.

After some years, I was transferred to another diocese, where I was assigned to the gender desk. I assisted women in forming savings and loans groups. I also encouraged them in skills development and in forming small businesses in baking, soap-making, and beadwork. This way, they can earn an income such that they are not dependent on men. I’ve also assisted girls to go to school, because most do not go to school. I also helped men form groups where they would do handiwork. Men are business-oriented, so I encouraged them to do goat-keeping and cattle-rearing in order to earn some money for their family and send their children to school. After that, I went to another diocese, where I also worked on gender issues.

In March 2024, I got a job with the Association of Sisterhoods of Kenya (AOSK), where I coordinate the activities of sisters as well as working on gender across Kenya’s 27 Catholic dioceses. We design activities and disseminate them to the sisters to implement at the local level. Activities include running an environmental day, organizing community clean-ups and tree plantings, and teaching children about human rights in school. We also run community forums to talk about issues affecting people on the ground, including the environment and gender. We link the community with county government or other stakeholders and partners. We encourage people to vote and to look around and identify issues that require action. We also speak about Laudato Si’ and care for the environment.

Other activities include addressing gender-based violence (GBV). We teach communities how to mitigate GBV and how to report cases that have taken place. We also educate them about human trafficking and how to help trafficked people and report such cases. We also have a legal desk so that justice can be accorded for both the victim and perpetrator. We also create awareness about gender issues through civic education.

To make this work easier for us at the national level, we’ve formed groups in the communities. They include men and women peacemakers and religious sisters on the ground. These are the direct links to the national office of AOSK. We disseminate our activities through these groups to the community level in order to have wider coverage and impact.

AOSK has 179 member congregations, which translates to over 9,000 sisters. It's been my passion to ensure that members of the Association of Sisterhoods of Kenya move together and work towards the empowerment of those we serve. We organize training webinars for the sisters. They suggest topics and we look for an expert to speak or do so ourselves. We also encourage them to hold annual general meetings at the local level so they can look back and plan for the future. From time to time, I pay visits to local units. I listen to the sisters, handle whatever problems they're having, and do activities with them. At the end of every year, we hold our annual general meeting and award the best units and best sister who has impacted her unit and community.

What sorts of training do sisters request?

They always ask for leadership skills, resource mobilization, safeguarding, advocacy, and coping with technology, among many other skills. They also ask about training on wellness, aging gracefully, and bringing together different generations of sisters.

What are the biggest challenges facing women in Kenya today?

We are deeply rooted in a culture where women have no space in public life. In some regions, women don’t go to school; they are expected to stay at home. Some cultures also dictate that women should not participate in decision-making forums. There is a lot of gender inequality and inequity. Women in Kenya also battle with gender-based violence (GBV). But through the training and empowerment we have given them, these women are coming up and gaining leadership roles in their counties and other important offices.

What do you think is driving that change?

We are doing a lot of advocacy and capacity building. We are building awareness among both genders. If you empower a woman or send a girl to school, the society benefits. With the experience and knowledge we are sharing, people are slowly but surely embracing change.

We are also making use of today's technology, which has assisted us a great deal in amplifying our message. If one community program is doing well, you can spread news about it online. The internet has also assisted us in networking with other people and getting to know what they are doing.

What are some of the most important skills and insights you've gained in your work?

I have gained leadership skills, particularly servant leadership. This has taught me not to be a master but a servant. I am there to encourage people, to provide support, to advocate, to give a voice to the voiceless as well as to safeguard the vulnerable in society.

Can you tell us about your capstone project for the Women Faith Leaders Fellowship?

My capstone project is entitled “Heal, Rise, Thrive.” It is based in Kilifi County. I chose to focus on teenage mothers between 15 and 18 years old who have stopped going to school, suffer rejection from family and society, face poverty, and have very low self-esteem. I first met these girls during our field visits, when they got my attention. They form a large population, but due to limited funding, I chose to work with 40 young mothers. I intend to help them heal from the trauma and rejection they have gone through and also help them accept themselves as they are, rise above where society has placed them, and learn some life skills which will help them thrive and become self-reliant.

What’s next for you?

To become self-sustaining is a long process. I wish for the capstone to continue until these girls become self-sustaining and have a bright future. I want them to stand up one day and say they made it because somebody held their hand. In the long run, I wish to begin a table banking system for them so they can take out small loans. Later in life, I want to have it grow into a small micro-finance institution. I want them to be social transformers and assist others who have similar problems in and beyond Kilifi County. Together, we want to transform their homes, the communities they come from, and Kilifi County at large. Special thanks to WLFP for the training and support they gave us and for supporting our capstone projects. My project has helped the girls a lot; all of them have engaged in small businesses. We are now journeying towards table banking. To God be the glory. Amen!