In 1887 four Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart arrived in Papua New Guinea in response to the request of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart to minister to the women there.  Since those early times the sisters have been involved in the following works for and with the people:
         

Education:  the sisters are involved in teaching at Primary, Secondary and Teacher Education level, in both urban and rural areas with a special emphasis on improving the education of girls.  Many of the schools are in isolated areas throughout the country.

Health care:  OLSH sisters work in clinics in rural areas.  This includes Maternal and Child Health patrols in mountains and on isolated islands.  Medicines are very difficult to obtain.

The sisters also train Community Health Workers at the hospital training school at Veifa’a.  Much work is done in the area of HIV/AIDS which has reached epidemic proportions in PNG.

A note from Sr Marlene Dewar in Veifa'a in September 2011: "We are hurrying to try to get the water project finished by December. We are putting in 36 big Southern Cross tanks in the villages. The locals have to contribute 10% of the cost of materials. We have also to put in 300 pit latrines and simple showers. It will be a rush with the latter. Our road was out for three months due to flooding so we lost time. We just keep going hoping we will meet the deadline. Well I must go. Thank you once again. God bless. Marlene."