The Institute of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart, a lay religious congregation, was established in 1821 in Lyons, France. In 1847 the congregation went on to found establishments in the United States and eventually in over thirty countries. The primary mission of the Institute is the Christian education of youth. The generosity of American Catholics has assisted the Brothers in Africa to develop various institutions and programs helping to ensure that African youth have the Catholic values, education and skills to look to the future with hope and confidence.