From Centro Astalli, small but significant steps foward
Two stories that demonstrate hope, courage and progress. The witness to this is Centro Astalli who celebrates with Nelly, a residential volunteer, her graduation in chemistry and supports through the Steps Forward Project the inclusion of a Syrian family in Trento.
Today Nelly came to visit us at Centro Astalli and showed us the photos of her wonderful graduation in Chemistry!
Nelly came from Cameroon at a very young age. She had this beautiful dream which today she realized together with much more.
During her 4 years at university, she worked as a residential volunteer at La casa di Maria Teresa, the facility where we welcome single mothers with their children.
She lived with single mothers in difficulty and with their children for whom she became a friend, a playmate and a tutor for their homework, a support, and a person to whom they can refer.
Nelly also wanted to do civil service at Centro Astalli, spending a year meeting the high school students who were taking part in the Windows and Meetings Projects.
“Today is a beautiful day as I feel so fulfilled and have so many plans to talk about.: I am moving to Parma for my specialisation. I have chosen Industrial Chemistry as I want to devote myself to something concrete”.
Nelly set up a web link so that her entire family could follow the defence of her thesis. But the physical and technological distance with Cameroon was really too much even for her who is never restrained by anything or anyone!
However, it was a great celebration for everyone here in Rome and Cameroon where she hopes one day to be able to return with many technical skills to help her country build a different future.
M. is 28 years of age and comes from Homs, Syria, one of the cities greatly devastated by the war that has been tearing the country apart for ten years. This is why M’s family fled to Lebanon and from there reached Italy.
“We were welcomed in Trento, in 2016, first my older brother and his wife with their five children and then, some time later my mother, who is with me in the photo, and myself and my two younger brothers, one of whom is with his wife as well.”
Since then, many things have changed in her life. She learned Italian, started working and had two nieces. Unfortunately, owing to Covid, the company she worked with closed down and she lost her job. But she didn’t give up. “I use this time to improve my Italian, learn how to operate the computer and get my driver’s license,” she says.
Now she is looking for a new home for herself, her mother and her brother. They can pay the rent thanks to her brother’s salary but finding a job for her is still very difficult. “I’ve visited 7 agencies, and I’ve seen 12 houses,” she explains, “but one way or another, it never works. Many landlords and real estate agents do not call back, others say that the family is too large, even if we are only three, still others are even rude”.
M. does not say so but behind these difficulties there are also mistrust and prejudices. Thanks to the PASSIAvanti project, M. is now being guided by one of the workers who helps her in her search, checking sites and adverts and is helping her to make phone calls and visits.
“T. is helping us a lot,” M. says. “We are happy here, the men found work, my nieces now speak Italian perfectly and they like school. I really hope to be able to find our place here in Trento, close to my brothers and their families. Then we could really feel safe”.
