Who We Are - Tatenda International

January 12, 2026

TATENDA International has been making connections all over the world since 2007. Having

visited 10 countries, plus provided retreats at the Mexican border and throughout Massachusetts

at retirement facilities, we have a broad scope of the needs and successes of caregivers around

the globe.

We have remained connected to several of these communities in these interim years. Most

recently, we have communicated with Kenya and Jamaica about sisters who were at our retreats

before Covid. Our Jamaica sisters who we spent time with in 2014 were seriously threatened by

Hurricane Melissa on October 21, 2025 when their clinic, school, and convents were devastated.

I spearheaded a fundraising effort along with former President of TATENDA International and

Retreat leader, Pamela Van Wechel, to help them rebuild and revitalize the Assumption Sisters

of Nairobi who were stationed in Jamaica. Obviously, they were significantly shaken from

weathering that storm, so a part of these monies is going towards helping them recover mentally

and spiritually. We are still caring for caregivers in this way.

The Retreat Team to Jamaica raised $9000 and St. Patrick’s Parish in Whitinsville, MA is still

adding to their donation of $12,000 to get the sisters back on their feet.

Our relationship with these sisters endures. They hope to gather $31,000 to begin the renovation

and restoration of their ministry.

They are saying, “Thank you, Tatenda,” now as we said Tatenda to them in 2014. I as Co-

Founder of TATENDA am pleased that the friendship is strong and that we have been able to

continue our relationship despite the years and distance.

If anyone is interested in helping with this, feel free to contact me at

nickiverploegen2020@gmail.com. I can give you any information you might need. In the

meantime, you will hear from us in 2026 about new endeavors as they materialize. Happy New

Year and be healthy, gentle and kind this year as much as you can.

Peace,

Nicki Verploegen, Ph.D.

TATENDA Co-Founder

 International Retreats: An outbreak of Ebola in East Africa forced the postponement of a retreat that TATENDA was scheduled to lead in Uganda this month. The retreat is now scheduled for Summer 2026. 

 Border Retreats: Changes in U.S. policy regarding immigration and the process for seeking asylum led to the closure of most of the shelters that had been offering temporary shelter for migrants who had recently crossed the U.S./Mexico border. Many of the caregivers who had been staffing these shelters are now serving migrants in different ways, including serving at shelters on the Mexican side of the border and assisting those who had already crossed the border and entered the asylum process. As a follow-up to the two retreats that TATENDA offered for caregivers in the El Paso area, TATENDA is exploring opportunities to provide retreats and times of reflection for these caregivers in this new environment. 

 Wellness Center Retreats: TATENDA Vice President Sr. Nancy Sheridan, SASV and I led a retreat for caregivers at Campion Health Center in Weston, Massachusetts on November 11, 2024. It was great to reconnect with some of the caregivers who had attended the series of thee retreats we offered at Campion in Fall 2023. Nancy and TATENDA Board member Regina O'Connor have led a series of three retreats for caregivers at Marie Esther Alliance Healthcare in Marlborough, Massachusetts and have been invited to lead a mission awareness process for department heads. Another health center in Cambridge, Massachusetts has invited TATENDA to lead a retreat for caregivers this year. 

 Finances: Over the past 12 months, TATENDA has received $7,265 in donations, with the majority of that coming from the annual “30 Days of Thanksgiving” fundraising campaign in Fall 2024. Thank you very much to all of our generous donors! 

Website: The TATENDA Board is in the process of creating a new website for TATENDA. Thank you for your patience as we work through this process which ended up being more complicated than we anticipated.

On behalf of my colleagues on the TATENDA Board of Directors, “Tatenda” (that is, “thank you” in the Shona language of Zimbabwe) for joining us in TATENDA’s mission of caring for caregivers in established relief organizations internationally and in the U.S.

Paul Covino

President, Tatenda Board of Directors

PS: Donations to support Tatenda are welcome at any time during the year. Go to the "Click to Donate" button below to make a secure online donation. Thank you!