The Sisters of the Order of the Holy Paraclete (OHP) went to Ghana in West Africa from Whitby, N Yorkshire and set up an educational institution for girls and named it after St. Augustine of Hippo, the first African woman to be canonized as a Saint. In 1935, the Sisters acquired a site on the outskirts of Mampong, in the Ashanti region and founded a second school for infants, juniors and middle sc
hool years. A year later the Teacher Training College was opened, providing career opportunities for girls. In 1937, Richard Aglionby, Bishop of Accra, gave the OHP Sisters a site along the High Street in Accra to build another elementary school for girls, which was named Bishop Girls' School. Shortly after that, St. Monica's Secondary School with a sixth form was established on the Mampong campus, sharing facilities with the Training College until 1946 when each had their own premises and heads. The Sisters continued to establish other programs, such as, nursing training school, babies homes to provide shelter for orphaned babies, nurseries and finally a vocational school for both girls and boys in Bolgatanga in the Upper East region in Ghana. Many families have benefited from the excellent education and career opportunities offered by the OHP schools. This organization, St. Monica's Old Students Association, USA (SMOSA USA) was founded by a few dedicated alumni in the USA in the Maryland and Virginia area, and has since expanded to all of USA and continue to grow.
