By Elisa Cappai | Junior Project Manager
Throughout 2026, our support for the children at Casa Italia in Ghana has continued to provide vulnerable children with protection, care and the opportunity to build a safer future. The Centre currently hosts 19 children, most of whom have been separated from their families because of severe vulnerability, including disability, abuse, neglect or extreme hardship. Some children no longer have a reliable family environment and have therefore been entrusted to the Centre by the local Social Welfare Department. At Casa Italia, they receive food, education, medical care, rehabilitation and emotional support, while Social Welfare works closely with the Centre to assess each situation and identify the best long-term solution for every child.
An important part of the project is helping children move from residential care into a safe and loving family environment whenever this is possible and in their best interest. In recent months, a girl who had lived at the Centre since birth was successfully placed with a family who had long hoped to welcome a child. Her mother had rejected her and later passed away, leaving her without a safe family environment. The child was prepared for the transition through counselling, and Social Welfare is now monitoring her integration into the new family.
For another child with autism, a family placement was considered and the preparation initially went well; however, the separation proved too traumatic, so the placement was not pursued, prioritizing the child's emotional wellbeing. Another girl, who arrived at the Centre two years ago suffering from severe malnutrition, has now been legally placed with a foreign family, and the procedures for her transfer to Germany are underway. In the meantime, her new foster parents are spending extended periods in Ghana to strengthen their emotional bond with her and support a gradual transition.
These experiences demonstrate that the project's goal is not simply to provide children with shelter, but to help them recover, develop and, whenever possible, find a permanent and loving family environment. When a child leaves the Centre, another vulnerable child can be welcomed, as the need for protection and care remains high. The Centre also continues to monitor children who have been reintegrated into their families and to provide medical support when needed, ensuring that the commitments made to each child continue beyond their time at Casa Italia.
During 2026, donations have also contributed to making the Centre a safer and better-equipped place for children to live and receive care. Important maintenance and safety works have been completed, including the restoration and waterproofing of all buildings, maintenance of the perimeter walls and improvements to the drainage of the physiotherapy building. The water tank was cleaned and sterilized, while regular maintenance of the solar panels helps ensure a more reliable electricity supply and lower running costs.
The rehabilitation gym has been equipped with new tools adapted to the needs of the children, and worn-out mats and equipment have been replaced, particularly benefiting children with disabilities who require specialized and continuous rehabilitation.
Every contribution helps ensure that a vulnerable child has access to a safe home, nutritious food, education, medical care, rehabilitation and the emotional support they need to recover and grow. As soon as one child leaves Casa Italia to begin a new chapter in life, another vulnerable child is often waiting for a safe place to call home. Continued support allows the Centre to remain that place: a home where children are protected, cared for and given the opportunity to build a brighter future.
By Elisa Cappai | Project Leader
By Elisa Cappai | Project Leader
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