On Monday 22 April, during the opening day of the workshop held in Nairobi, Kenya, on Popular Education and the Identity of Fe y Alegría in the Jesuit Conference of Africa and Madagascar (JCAM), a Memorandum of Understanding was signed, for Eastern Africa.

Fr. Kizito Kiyimba, SJ, the Provincial of the Jesuit Eastern Africa Province (AOR) and Fr. Daniel Villanueva, SJ, the General Coordinator of the International Federation of Fe y Alegría, signed a Memorandum of Understanding institutionalising the relationship between International Federation of Fe y Alegría and the Jesuit Eastern Africa Province (AOR) in relation to the work in Kenya that Fe y Alegría has been accompanying for the last 10 years. The signing focuses on the work in Kenya, however the framework includes the other countries of the Eastern Africa Province namely: Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

The signed agreement, which is being promoted with other provinces where Fe y Alegría is emerging, is important because it institutionalises the relationship between Fe y Alegría and the province by establishing the framework of missionary collaboration between both institutions to promote the exploration and identification of socio-educational works that work with vulnerable populations and that can be aligned with Fe y Alegría.

In this sense, it was agreed to share basic information that facilitates the approach and understanding of both parties. The international team was confirmed as a reference actor to accompany and guide the exploration of Fe y Alegría with the person who has been delegated by the province. Other aspects such as participation in federative meetings, programmes and/or initiatives were also addressed.

In the AOR Province, the relationship established with Kenya focuses on the work with the educational institute at St. Joseph the Worker Parish; for this reason a specific annex was also signed to promote the establishment of a framework in Kenya to facilitate the establishment of alliances that strengthen the links and the participation of Saint Joseph Development Programme in the Fe y Alegría network.

Both agreements represent an important moment in Fe y Alegría's relationship with the AOR Province, where educational work with vulnerable populations is one of the priorities; therefore, the link with the Federation in the long term acquires true meaning and relevance.