INCREDIBLE ITALY

We worked at the office until 9:00pm on Monday night and then flew to Italy on Tuesday afternoon. We visited eight NGOs in two days with our regional manager Davide and our Rome in-field couple Elder and Sister Vardeu. We evaluated past projects and met some new NGO colleagues.

Rome

Municipality of Rome

We met with the director of social services for one of the 13 municipalities in Rome to discuss the possibility of donating kitchen appliances for elderly homes, a renovation of a center for vulnerable youth, and beds and washing machines for a homeless shelter. We will see how this project develops.

ASCS-Agenzia Scalabriniana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo

The project we evaluated provided the replacement of furniture and kitchen equipment and appliances in a refuge home that can house up to 30 individuals. Casa Scalabrini 634 has been open for over 10 years, welcoming refugees as well as promoting services and activities for migrants, refugees and vulnerable people within the local community. One of the residents from Pakistan made us a traditional dessert from his homeland. He expressed that the kitchen is the most important part of a home. Here he can prepare comfort food from his homeland.

CIR-Consiglio Italiano peri Rifugiati

A project with CIR is taking place in Lecce, 500 km south of Rome. This organization works one on one with refugees to give support for urgent healthcare, clothing, school supplies, and job training courses.

Programa Integra

This was a project to renovate a community courtyard in a home for unaccompanied minor refugee boys. The renewal of the courtyard will allow the young migrants to live in a better environment and to open the space to the local community by arranging and proposing outdoor activities for teenagers who live in the neighborhood. It will help with social cohesion and will ensure moments of mutual knowledge between the migrants and the citizens living in the area. The aim is to make people perceive the migrants not as a “burden” but as an opportunity for a community. Local members gathered to help plant flowers here.

Comunita de Sant’Egidio

This project focuses on first intervention: kits of food, clothing and hygiene items. Funding will be used for the services of Houses of Friendship. The Houses of Friendship are present in over 30 municipalities and 15 regions of Italy. These centers are scattered in vulnerable neighborhoods to be closer to the needs of the people.

Outside of Rome

We left Rome at 6:30am one morning to make three visits. Our driving experience was crazy- one day in the congested streets of downtown Rome and the next day on dirt roads out in the country.

KORE S.L.R. Impresa Sociale in Gubbio

The direct beneficiaries of the project include women who are migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. These women will benefit directly from the employment and training opportunities offered by KORE, helping them build the skills and income needed to support themselves and their children. In this project materials were donated for their tailoring courses and an herbal tea bagging machine that will allow them to expand their agricultural production and make this NGO self-sustaining.

Comitato per la Vita Daniele Chianelli in Perugia

We met with these good people who support children with blood cancer and their families by providing housing during treatment nextdoor to a hematology-oncology center.

Caritas Perugia

This Project will provide food for a soup kitchen and five food banks for six months. By providing consistent access to nutritious meals the soup kitchen and the five solidarity markets reduce the immediate stress of food insecurity, allowing beneficiaries to focus on long-term goals such as finding stable employment, pursuing education or skill training, and improving their overall well-being.

Moreover, the solidarity markets promote practical financial education. Beneficiaries manage the credit assigned to their market cards, learning to make thoughtful and responsible choices. This process strengthens budgeting skills and encourages greater autonomy in everyday life, contributing to long-term resilience and empowerment.

We were invited to have lunch in the soup kitchen with these wonderful people.

P-Day Italian Style

Tivoli

Tivoli, a beautiful city on a hill, is about 30 minutes outside of Rome.

First stop- Villa Adriana- Emperor Hadrian’s villa ruins. Our guide explained what daily life might have been like here in AD128. This complex housed 2,000 slaves and 1,000 military guards to cater to the needs of the emperor.

Then on to Villa d’Este and Tivoli Gardens, another UNESCO World Heritage site. This 16^th century villa was built by Cardinal Ippoloto d’Este and is famous for its Italian Renaissance Garden, featuring beautiful fountains, statues and grottos.

A hydraulic organ fountain is activated by water pressure and plays music. I (Debbie) visited this garden 50 years ago with my parents. It was just as magical as I remembered.

Assisi

Assisi is an historic hill town in the Umbria region of central Italy, renowned as the birthplace of Saint Francis of Assisi, founder of the Franciscan Order.

We strolled the medieval streets and visited the beautiful Basilica of St Francis. It is comprised of two churches; one built on top of the other. Construction began in 1228.