Help the kids affected by the eartquake in Norcia

Francesca Rava Foundation delivered 1 kindergarten to welcome 125 children, 1 primary school for 225 children, 1 secondary school to welcome 180 students in Norcia. On May 23th we finally inaugurated the secondary school.

Moreover, the work of the Foundation in the emergency and in the rebuilding has brought to the creation of strong and long-lasting  bonds, the Foundation listened to the needs of the children and families.Therefore there was the change to develop a lasting relation with the local community. A strong bond in the path of reconstruction, hope and “welcome and take charge” to women, children and families of the areas hit by the earthquake. We organized many school projects: 

- Project workshops and editorial "A Fantastic Reconstruction”: organization of workshops to give joy and colour to the children of the elementary school in Norcia still emotionally affected by the tragic earthquake. The artistic work allowed children to express themselves through the visual language favoring the elaboration of experiences difficult to verbalize and to bring out, and the participation of all children to the creation of a final product, the result of the collaboration of all, strengthens the confidence and cohesion of the class group, creating the basis for an attitude of mutual trust and willingness to cooperate for the common good. 

- Creative psychological laboratory "Mending Emotions": faced with an unexpected and uncontrollable event like an earthquake, which disrupts the activities that characterized the daily habits, children experienced a wide range of reactions. 

Creativity is considered a fundamental internal resource, as it supports the attribution of meaning to the traumatic process, which is the basis of the trauma process. Through the art of sewing and through the use of fabrics, leather, buttons, beads, ribbons and anything else the participants were called to realize a creative artifact that is the container of emotional experiences and their history.

A cycle of 4 thematic meetings, organized on a weekly basis. The meetings, lasting two hours for each class, stimulate the first personal reflections and expectations. The most emotionally fragile children will be accompanied by individual meetings following the technique of the sand therapy. The laboratory activities are carried out and coordinated by psychologists and psychotherapists of Società Cooperativa Sociale ONLUS Il Geco, joined by trainees at the same center.

- Playful teaching visit in Milan on May 3-5: educational visit but also familiar of 3 classes of the Norcia middle schools in Milan. Students have been guests of the Francesca Rava Foundation, which provided to arrange the transport from Norcia to Milan, hosted them in central hotel structures and organized guided tours around the city.

Students also took part in the Charity evening of May 3th at the Teatro alla Scala in favor of the Foundation with the students of the Accademia del Teatro alla Scala, visited the Castello Sforzesco, Palazzo Marino with a meeting with the Deputy Mayor of the City of Milan, il Museo della Pietà and Binario 21 (Rail 21).

- 2 Bocconi University Scholarships: the earthquake and the loss of all primary goods, such as home and  job, must not be an impediment for deserving students to continue to pursuing their dreams of studying in one of the best University in the world: Bocconi University. Together with the Faculty and the Foundation, the Francesca Rava Foundation provided two scholarships for the best students of the earthquake zone.

After delivering the 3 schools in Norcia, one in Arquata del Tronto and other 2 schools in Cascia, we are now committed to build other two schools in Eggi (PG, Umbria) and Pieve Torina (MC, Marche). 

Links:

• Fondazione Francesca Rava commitment post earthquake