“In 1955, Dolorosa was the leader among the four pioneer Sisters of Mercy in Dublin, ‘carefully chosen’ and ‘our very best’, for the Kenyan Mission.” (Moron, “Sister M. Dolorosa Waldron”) When the pioneers arrived in Nairobi, Kenya, they carried almost everything they needed to set up a home and hospital. They wasted no time in starting to provide health care and education. This healthcare work resulted in the establishment of the Mater Misericordiae Hospital in Nairobi in 1962. Numerous schools and teacher-training institutes were created while Dolorosa was alive.

Elsie was born in Dalkey, Co. Dublin, in 1898. Patricia Moran writes, “She went to the Sisters of Mercy School in Glasthule for her primary education and to the Loreto Sisters in Dalkey for her secondary education." Elsie entered the Sisters of Mercy in 1921 and was professed in 1924. She trained as a nurse.

Dolorosa was profoundly influenced by Catherine McAuley’s spirit. Through her endeavours, she brought a diverse range of Mercy works to the people of Nairobi and beyond.

While education and health care were the primary social and ministry requirements, Dolorosa and her companions were sensitive to the needs of the poor, visiting and providing solutions to combat poverty through a range of ministries and services.

Preparing for the foundation must have been difficult in itself. Once in Kenya, the sisters encountered a harsh climate, very different from their previous experiences. They had to learn to work with and minister to people from various cultural backgrounds. In addition, they had to overcome religious bigotry.

The work begun by Dolorosa began the development of what would become a strong presence of the Sisters of Mercy in Kenya. In 1976, the Congregation admitted Kenyan African women as members. The Sisters have contributed significantly to Kenya's health care, social work, and education systems. Today, they have shifted their focus to individuals living in city slums who have been displaced due to drought, famine, or political turmoil.

“Kenya:  Mercy at a glance” Mercy International Association, accessed 8 May 2024. https://www.mercyworld.org/about/mercy-family/kenya/   

Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy, Congregation-of-the-Sisters-of-Mercy-in-Kenya-the-First-50-Years, https://sistersofmercy.ie/province/kenya accessed May 21, 2024.