Navigating Adversity: Strategies for Promoting Post-Traumatic Growth among Comboni Missionary Sisters in East Africa

Abstract

Comboni Missionary Sisters in East Africa’s fragile contexts face cumulative adversities that challenge their psychological and spiritual well-being. However, struggling with these experiences can lead to post-traumatic growth (PTG): a constructive psychological and spiritual evolution. This study investigated the lived experiences of PTG among Sisters in Uganda and South Sudan, identifying the internal, external, and structural strategies that facilitate personal and vocational transformation. Grounded in an interpretive (hermeneutic) phenomenological design, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 purposively selected participants. Narratives were analyzed using hermeneutic thematic analysis to map growth mechanisms. Findings indicate that PTG is a deliberate developmental shift rather than an automatic outcome. Transformation is facilitated through an ecological framework consisting of five interconnected major themes: Spiritual Anchoring, Cognitive Reframing, Expressive and Embodied Processing, Relational and Cultural Solidarity, and Institutional Pathways toward a Culture of Care. Growth was evidenced by increased fortitude, deeper spiritual maturity, and reinforced missionary commitment. Ultimately, PTG in this context is an interdependent and structurally supported process.