The religious communities

Terre Sans Frontières is a secular organisation that has always worked closely with religious communities to support the most disadvantaged populations. By partnering with these communities, TSF facilitates essential interventions in various fields.

TSF works with religious communities in a number of ways, including the following:

Management support
TSF carries out situation studies, assesses needs and strengthens the skills of local workers and volunteers to ensure the smooth running of schools, health centres, market gardens and training centres in entrepreneurship and accounting management.

Implementation of programmes
TSF invites religious communities to participate actively in the implementation of some of its projects. For example,
For example, thanks to funding from UNICEF, during the pandemic we carried out an Education Cannot Wait project with young people in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Transfer and management of funds
TSF ensures the transfer of funds from religious communities in the North to those in the South, while at the same time to the provincial and federal authorities to ensure sound financial management and effective implementation of the projects supported.

Sending volunteers
TSF sends volunteers such as dentists, optometrists and managers to work with religious communities in the South, thereby strengthening local capacities and ensuring that projects run smoothly. ANESCS, for example, our local partner in Senegal, enables us to share our expertise with a vast national network of health establishments.
with a vast national network of institutions.

After so many decades of working together, the trust between TSF and religious communities is well established. This is why we can turn to them for support when emergencies arise and we need to respond quickly. This collaborative and diversified approach enables TSF to implement its projects in a unique and effective way, ensuring sustainable development in several countries.

The history of TSF has been linked to religious communities since it was founded over 40 years ago. It was in 1980 that the Brothers of Christian Instruction (FIC in French) decided to set up an organisation that would initially support their educational work with young people in the Haut-Uele region of what was then Zaire.

Over the years, TSF has joined forces with various partners and developed links with other religious communities. Our relationship with the world in which we were born continues to this day. The values that guided the FICs to found TSF so many years ago are still visible in the intervention model in 2024.

Our sustainable development projects, our humanitarian aid interventions and our voluntary cooperation programme are based on principles bequeathed to us by these religious communities. The bond of solidarity between TSF and these communities has remained unchanged since 1980.

1980

TSF historique

The beginning

The Brothers of Christian Instruction (FIC in French) recognised the need to support their educational missions in Haut-Uele in Zaire and set up an organisation called Prodéva FIC (Project for Development and Evangelisation).

Brother Robert Gonneville was appointed Director General. He believed that if we wanted to be effective in supporting FIC works, we must also include the basic needs of the population. Achievements in drinking water, health and education were launched in the region.

1984

Avions Sans Frontières

Avions Sans Frontières

In this part of the country, travelling was always difficult and vehicles could get stuck for several days on the road, especially during the rainy season.

PRODEVA-FIC sent a Cessna 206 aircraft to the region and set up Avions Sans Frontières, based in Dungu in Haut-Uélé.

1985

UPISA

TSF began its operations in Uganda in 1985. The first TSF agent in the country was Brother Francis Byarugaba, hired that same year. Almost 40 years later, he retired in March 2024.

He leaves behind a wealth of experience in education and governance. Brother Francis was instrumental in the creation of the Uganda Private and Integrated Schools Association (UPISA). With financial support from TSF and other organisations, including the Canadian International Development Agency (ACDI in French) and the Roncalli Foundation, this network has now become autonomous and continues to offer quality education to children not served by the public system.

End of the 1980s

TSF dans la région des Grands Lacs africain - République démocratique du Congo

The African Great Lakes region

Terre Sans Frontières was so successful that the FIC decided to extend TSF’s activities to neighbouring countries where the Brothers of Christian Instruction were active (Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya).

Terre Sans Frontières provided administrative support for the development of several general or technical schools run by the Brothers of Christian Instruction, the Daughters of Providence and, on occasion, other local religious communities, while ensuring that the basic needs of the populations served are met (drinking water in particular).

1994

ancien logo TSF

Terre Sans Frontières

The importance and success of Avions Sans Frontières are such that Prodéva appropriated the name of its project and became Terre Sans Frontières.

Terre Sans Frontières was the new entity under which Prodéva Tiers-Monde and Avions Sans Frontières were grouped together.

1994

The Rwandan genocide

Development activities are definitively halted in Rwanda following the socio-political unrest that leads to genocide. The regional office was moved to Burundi.

Since 1995

In Haiti and the DRC

Terre Sans Frontières has been working in Haiti for over 30 years. Its first collaborations were with the Brothers of Christian Instruction.

With the Institut de Formation Humaine et Intégrale de Montréal (IFHIM), TSF created the Action for Personal Reconstruction (ARP in French) project in collaboration with numerous religious communities to help traumatised populations in Haiti, the DRC and Rwanda.

1998

Volunteer cooperation

The volunteer programme based on sending healthcare professionals was launched. The aim was to offer specialist healthcare to people who did not have access to it, starting with optometry and dentistry.

Discover our programme

Since 2000

Organisation des femmes et communautés religieuses de TSF en Tanzanie

Tanzania

Following its work with the Brothers of Christian Instruction in Tanzania, Terre Sans Frontières developed partnerships with religious communities such as the Sisters of Our Lady of Kilimanjaro and the Grail Sisters, communities responsible for schools (part of the TUPPS network founded by Terre Sans Frontières) and health centres. 

Consult our intervention

2010

seisme haiti reconstruction

The earthquake

A powerful earthquake ravaged Haiti, particularly the capital Port-au-Prince. TSF launched a vast reconstruction programme there in collaboration with ACDI.

Since 2011

Mali-soeurs-charite-ST-Louis-1

Mali

Sahel 21-TSF works in partnership with the Sisters of Charity of Saint Louis as part of its programme for empowerment of local initiatives (PAIL).

We provide financial support and knowledge transfer to the Sisters of Charity of Saint Louis in their work with women in the peri-urban area of Bamako.

As part of this support, we have built and equipped a centre for the advancement of women, created an organic field school and strengthened their administrative and management capacity.  

Since 2013

MAJL TSF communautés religieuses

In Croix-des-bouquets (Haiti)

Today, TSF is a partner of the Daughters of Mary Immaculate Queen in the child development centre, Maison de l’Avenir Jacqueline Lessard, which continues, despite the difficulties, to welcome young people from disadvantaged areas, particularly Cité-Soleil. This group is joined by over 200 children and teenagers from different communities who benefit from primary education.  

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2014

Jean Fortin TSF Terre Sans Frontières

Management

Mr Jean L. Fortin was been appointed Chief Executive Officer, replacing Brother Robert Gonneville who had been at the helm of the organisation for 35 years. He left us in April 2021.

Since 2016

L’Île-à-Vache (Haiti)

At Île-à-Vache, in partnership with the Sisters of Saint-François d’Assise, Terre Sans Frontières is working to improve the living conditions of children, including around thirty severely disabled youngsters.

2016-2019

mission CPA Haiti TSF communautés religieuses

Sound governance

In 2016, a programme took place with the Sisters of Charity of Saint-Louis in Haiti. The TSF team, assisted by Normand Rochon, CPA (certified professional accountant) and head of mission, implemented a standard accounting management system in the community’s 22 schools.

For 3 years, around thirty CPAs – with the collaboration of CPA Sans Frontières – travelled to Haiti to implement and train the sisters in this accounting system.

Since 2018

coopération sénégal ANPSCS TSF

Senegal

Terre Sans Frontières works with the National Association of Catholic Health Establishments and Structures of Senegal (ANESCS in French). This national NGO has been working in the health sector since 1967 via 76 health posts in 13 regions of the country.

Its mission is to organise and coordinate functional health posts with a preventive, educational and curative vocation.

Since the beginning of its partnership, TSF has collaborated with ANESCS by sending volunteer co-operators, reinforcing and purchasing equipment.

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Today

Continuity

Today, it is important for TSF to continue to work in partnership with different religious communities in several countries, to ensure that wealth is shared equitably, both here and elsewhere.