Sr. Agatha Bakahirwa is from the Kabale District in western Uganda. She grew up amidst the picturesque plateau and cool climate of the Western region, where farming and cattle keeping were a central part of her childhood. She is the seventh child in a family of eight—five boys and three girls. Her parents are still alive.

She grew up with her father and paternal grandmother, surrounded by a large community of cousins, aunties, and uncles all living together. She didn’t spend much time with her mother and siblings, who were in another village, but they would visit often. She has fond memories of these times and continues to share a strong bond with her extended family.

From a young age, Sr. Agatha loved going to church and actively participated in parish life, often tagging along with her father, who was a catechist. She served as an altar server, planted flowers around the church, and met with other servers from nearby parishes.

Her close bond with her grandmother, led to her starting primary school a little late, but she went on to study Business Administration at university. Growing up, she was always around Sisters from local congregations and admired them deeply. She met them again in secondary school where she really wanted to live selflessly like them.

During her university years, she began to ask herself, “Where is life taking me? What do I want to do?” She felt drawn to the Sisters she had long admired. By chance, she visited a printing press and saw a magazine with a short MMM advert. Initially, she thought, “Not for me, I’m not a medic. But it won’t hurt to check it out.” That visit marked the beginning of her journey with MMM. She was inspired by the hospitality of the sisters and soon began her formation.

After her initial formation, Sr. Agatha was assigned to the Eldoret Community in Kenya, where she assisted with clinic administration. She also assisted in palliative care and community outreach clinics, interacting closely with the people. This experience gave her a deep sense of what it meant to be a missionary and participate in the healing charism of MMM.

She actively engaged in parish life in Eldoret and worked closely with young people, inspiring some to consider joining MMM. After two years, she returned to Uganda, ministering to the sick and elderly, many of whom were poor or abandoned.

Sr. Agatha is outgoing and loves to bring laughter and joy to those around her. She enjoys visiting new places and meeting new people. One lesson she has learned from life is to stay positive even in challenging times and to create her own happiness wherever she is. Currently she is studying Accountancy in the Dundalk Institute of Technology.