It was a Jesuit initiative to invite the RNDMs to the Almel Mission, Bijapur. The bishops of Karnataka had been inviting the religious to move out of cities to rural settings that had no Christian presence. The RNDM thrust at the 1996 general chapter challenged us to opt for missions where women and children were most neglected in the society. Early in 1997 after prior visits and enquiries Sr. Mary Ita Joseph  who was then the provincial  missioned Srs. Juliana D’Souza and Flavy Castelino  to take up a  residence in Almel. For two years, they occupied a single room building of the Jesuits, where they experienced 50 degree temperatures, without the benefit of trees to protect them from the sun’s burning heat.  They were few Sisters named as pioneering missionaries to Almel, they were Dominica Cruz, Joyce Peter, Divya D’Silva and Vinitha Kurain.  The RNDMs collaborated with the Jesuits in their non-formal education outreach programmes and self-help groups. Once a week, Jesuits came from Bijapur to offer Mass and other spiritual needs.

The Jesuits Fathers in Bengaluru contributed  towards the purchase of the land.  In 1997 an eight-acre block of agriculture land was purchased, and a convent was built in 1999.The sisters are engaged in literacy programmes, particularly for school drop-outs, self-help groups for village women, saving schemes, and programmes for motivating and conscientising people about hygiene, health and legal rights. By the year 2000 RNDMs were reaching out to the people of twenty-five villages around Almel. To reach these villages, the Sisters had to walk, travel by bullock carts, tractors or trucks. Eventually they took special interest in ‘Shepherd Schools’ which coached non-school-going children, aged between five and fifteen for six months. It was then possible for them to be admitted to normal schools to complete their education. In 2009 a hostel for girls who were attending the village school was opened.

Due to the persistent request of the villagers, a nursery school was opened in 2005, which grew into a High School. Sr.Helen Misquith’s hard work, preservance and commitment, was blessed by God and today it is one of the best schools in Bijapur district. The Sisters continue to cultivate sunflower, sugarcane, peanut, vegetables and fruit trees.