KABYLIA. - A region entirely comprised within the two dioceses of Algeria and Costantina, inhabited by a population of approximately 1,250,000, continually increasing, completely Islamized and deeply attached to ancient traditions. The poverty of the soil and demographic increase compel the Kabyle to engage in hard physical and intellectual labour and also to emigrate, especially to France. State schools, almost exclusively for boys, are very numerous and, together with other factors, while working towards the improvement of society and individuals, contribute to making the individual materialistic and secular. The condition of women is distressing, because they enjoy no rights in social life. A Berber dialect, Kabyle, is spoken there.
The Jesuits were the first to exercise the apostolate there, and from 1872 the White Fathers and later the White Sisters began a slow work of penetration, especially by means of charitable and welfare institutions. The mission, which does not depend on Propaganda, also possesses 8 schools for boys and 6 schools for girls, as well as 8 workshops providing employment to approximately 2,000 girls. As in other Islamized environments, great tact, profound disinterestedness, and complete knowledge of the language, institutions, mentality, and aspirations of the people are necessary; in their recent contacts with the world, they have immediately become conscious of their own strength and abilities.