The Congregation of the Poor Servants of the Mother of God (S.M.G.) was founded in London on September 24th, 1869 by Frances Margaret (later Mother Magdalen) Taylor, (1832-1900), the youngest child of Henry Taylor, an Anglican clergyman, and his wife, Louisa.
As she grew up, Frances became very aware of the plight of the poor of London and tried to help them in any way she could. Conscious of their lack of educational facilities, she became involved at one stage in organising a ‘ragged school’ for poor, street children. At the outbreak of the Crimean War in 1854, Frances volunteered to nurse in the military hospitals in the Crimea. Various influences and experiences there – notably the heroism of the Sisters of Mercy and the faith of the Irish Catholic soldiers – led to her conversion to Roman Catholicism. From Frances’s great devotion to the Incarnation flowed her love of the poor, and this in turn led her to found the S.M.G. Congregation. Mother Magdalen drew her inspiration from the Constitutions and Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, having from the outset received much spiritual help and guidance from the Society of Jesus.
The Poor Servants of the Mother of God (PSMG) began their mission in Kenya in 1973 through healthcare work in Mutito and gradually expanded to several communities across Kenya and into Tanzania. Starting with Mutito, where they formed their first Kenyan community in 1985, they later established communities in Mwingi, Mulutu, Ting’ang’a, Chepchoina, Sirende, Ikutha, and Huruvi (Tanzania). Their ministries have included healthcare through dispensaries, education, early childhood development, pastoral outreach, catechetical programs,agriculture and community empowerment. Notably, Mwingi saw the development of the Frances Taylor Family Learning Center, while Mulutu and Ting’ang’a communities set up dispensaries and educational initiatives. Local vocations began in 1994, strengthening the Kenyan presence within the congregation. The Sisters’ work, supported by bishops, parish priests, and benefactors, has focused on living among the people and responding to their spiritual and social needs through faith, compassion, and service.