The Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa — commonly known as the White Sisters (MSOLA) — was founded in Algeria in 1869.

Founded by the French priest Charles Lavigerie, who was also Archbishop of Algiers, the congregation intended to be the female counterpart to the White Fathers (Missionaries of Africa, founded in 1868).
The first superior was Mother Marie-Salomé (Marie-Renée Roudaut).
Their nickname, “White Sisters,” refers to the distinctive white habit of the order.

The core of their missionary work is evangelization, with a special focus on women and families, expressed through education, healthcare, catechesis, and community development — always marked by a strong intercultural and interreligious spirit.

From the 1890s to the 1910s, the congregation expanded rapidly and became active in East and Central Africa (including Uganda and Tanzania), where they founded schools, clinics, and training centres for the formation of local religious communities (e.g. Uganda).

A hallmark of their mission has been their contribution to local churches: the MSOLA encouraged and supported the creation of indigenous congregations, numbering several dozen throughout the 20th century.

Today, the congregation has an international presence with a focus on Africa.
Its priorities include interreligious and intercultural dialogue, migration and refugees, women’s rights/empowerment, and education and formation.

The MSOLA work in close collaboration with the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers), founded by the same founder, Cardinal Lavigerie.