On September 30th, Pope Francis announced the appointment of the 10 new members to the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. Among them there are two religious sisters: sister Niluka Perera - the coordinator of Catholic Care for Children International (CCCI) at the International Union of Superiors General (read the news on her appointment) and  sister Annah Theresa Nyadombo - a Carmelite Servant, the coordinator of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Zimbabwe.

Sr. Teresa says: “Responding to God’s call requires compassion, love, patience, passion, wisdom, and prayer; especially when called to serve life, build, to mend, to heal, to listen and to form character. I’m, therefore, highly honored to be appointed to the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.

I have extensive experience working with children, youths, and young adults in tertiary institutions, in the church and the community at large. I’m very grateful for this opportunity to be able to contribute to the Commission on safeguarding issues. In Zimbabwe, I have worked for the local church through the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops’ Conference (ZCBC) in development and rolling -out of the Child Safeguarding Policy to all levels at National, Diocesan, Institutional, Parish, family and at individual levels. I have worked as lecturer, facilitator, counsellor, formator, expert in policy writing, and prevention of any form of abuse to minors through advocacy work.

At regional level, I have worked as a facilitator in Safeguarding helping Education institutions promoting safe schools’ environment, Parishes, Seminaries, Formation Houses, the Clergy and the Religious. I have extended safeguarding training to teachers, parents, and caregivers to ensure that safeguarding of minors is across the board.
 

I’m going to build on the work on prevention, protection, policy development and implementation demonstrated by Talitha Kum religious networking with other religions in the world."

Sr. Dr. Theresa Annah Nyadombo HLMC is the National Education and Safeguarding Coordinator for the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops’ Conference (ZCBC). She is a Council Member of Catholic University of Zimbabwe (CUZ) since 2014 and Secretary of the Zimbabwe Association of Church Education Secretaries (ACES), as well as Deputy Chairperson of Education Coalition in Zimbabwe (ECOZI).

She obtained her PhD from University of Dublin, Trinity College in Education and Social Sciences,Ireland, 2012. Her academic background also includes degrees in Theology,  Canon Law, Business Administration, Counselling, International Relations and Leadership and Social Communications.

She currently is both Member of the Pan Africa Theological Network and Member of Catholic Theological Ethics in the World.