Caring for refugees with dignity and compassion
Every year on June 20th, the world celebrates World Refugee Day, to reaffirm a global commitment not just to keep refugees safe, but to ensure they can thrive and live with dignity.
“We must love everyone without distinction, without calculation, without procrastination.”
This powerful statement reflects Mother Cabrini's unwavering commitment to welcoming, protecting, and serving migrants and refugees with dignity, compassion, and love.
In keeping with the legacy and mission of Mother Cabrini, on May 21st, 2026, Cabrini Ministries Eswatini visited Malindza Refugee Camp* to conduct a cervical cancer awareness session under the Migrant and Refugee Health Project, implemented by the Health Care Department.
The Migrant and Refugee Health Project seeks to address the complex health needs that refugees may encounter during their stay at the camp. Support provided through the project includes assistance with transportation to healthcare facilities when referrals are made from the camp clinic, as well as support with medical and hospital-related expenses where necessary. Through these interventions, Cabrini Ministries strive to reduce barriers to health care and ensure that refugees have access to essential medical services.
The awareness session marked the beginning of a series of planned health outreach activities aimed at promoting preventive healthcare among refugees. As part of this initiative, the Health Care team will conduct monthly visits to the camp to provide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer** services, raise awareness on the importance of early detection, and facilitate referrals for further assessment and treatment where required.
Through these ongoing efforts, Cabrini Ministries Eswatini continues to uphold its commitment to restoring life, ensuring that vulnerable populations receive compassionate and quality healthcare services regardless of their circumstances.
*Malindza Refugee Reception Centre (MRRC) is the first facility refugee approach when entering Eswatini. It hosts refugees from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Somalia and Mozambique.
**Cervical cancer is the most common and deadliest cancer in Eswatini. In spite of being preventable and treatable if detected early, access to screening is still limited beacause of lack of awareness, stigma and discomfort. To address this problem, in 2022 Cabrini Ministries revamped its HPV/cervical cancer program, adding a pilot intervention to screen for HPV infections (the leading cause of cervical cancer) through a non invasive urine test.