Sisters of Mercy, all of them Tongan-born, work on the main island of Tongatapu, originally with houses in the villages of Lapaha, established from Christchurch in 1964, and Kolonga, opened in 1991.

The Congregation, now based in Kolonga, is committed to a range of social and educational initiatives, supporting projects aimed at increasing self-determination and reducing poverty.

Sisters continue to support women at parish level. As in all societies, gender issues and poverty impact on family life in Tonga, and women often find support by cooperating to better their lives and to challenge long-held social and cultural assumptions.