A 146-year legacy of faith, education and service officially gained a permanent home in Kingston on Tuesday as the Alpha Mercy Historical Centre opened its doors, preserving the remarkable contribution of the Sisters of Mercy of Jamaica and the generations of Jamaicans whose lives were transformed by their work.

The centre, located at the Alpha campus on South Camp Road, traces the Sisters’ journey in Jamaica and showcases their contribution to education, health care, social outreach, and the care of vulnerable people.

The story began in 1880 when Jamaican philanthropist Jessie Ripoll established the Alpha orphanage in Kingston in response to the needs of vulnerable children. Ten years later, Sisters of Mercy from England joined the mission, helping to build what would become a long-standing network of schools, health-care services and social ministries.