Francesca Rava Foundation - NPH Italy Onlus opens the new kindergarten in Norcia
Norcia, May 9, 2017 - Following the opening of the elementary school in Norcia, on 31 March, the Francesca Rava Foundation-NPH Italia Onlus has continued its work with the Norcia community with the inauguration today of a new kindergarten for 125 children, that will be followed by the opening of the middle school on 23 May.
Thus by the end of May, only four months after the project began, Norcia will benefit from the new school complex located outside the "red zone", which will fully meet the educational and training needs of the entire local school population.
The opening was attended by Mayor of Norcia Nicola Alemanno, President of Umbria Region Catiuscia Marini, the school's head teacher Rossella Tonti, architect Laura Galimberti, Coordinator of the Council of Ministers' Mission for the Redevelopment of School Building, and its head of the office, Filippo Bonaccorsi. There was also the Italian former top model Martina Colombari, an endorser of the Francesca Rava Foundation-NPH Italia Onlus, who also volunteers on the front line in Haiti and in many initiatives to help children in Italy.
"We took a great engagement with the community of Norcia. Thanks to the help of donors, partners and institutions, we now give children an happy place to play. But our work does not stop here: we are completing the adjacent middle school and we are also very committed to build a new school also in Cascia. We have shared the generosity of many, listening and responding to the needs of those affected by this disaster, "said Maria Chiara Roti, Vice President of the Francesca Rava Foundation - NPH Italia Onlus.
Kindergarten children will be divided into four classes and a nursery section, within a covered area of 562.63 m2. Three of the classes are dedicated to the main project donors, the Costa Crociere Foundation, Gucci, and KPMG. Children were the real stars of the opening party, with the help of Costa Cruises entertainers. Representatives of several friendly companies were also attending, including Amgen, Mapei and Danone Group, as well as many volunteers and donors from all over Italy who have supported the Foundation in achieving this important goal.
"It is an honour and a privilege to be able to give practical help, through our foundation, to reconstruction in the areas affected by the earthquake, starting with the children, who represent the future of these areas. Our donation originated from the big heart and solidarity of our guests, who I would like to thank. We have organised a three-month fundraising on our ships, targeting everyone who came on holidays on one of our cruises, to which we have added a direct contribution by Costa Cruises," said Massimo Brancaleoni, SVP Worldwide Sales of Costa Cruises.
We are very grateful to the Francesca Rava Foundation and to the donors who have responded to its appeal. We hope that others will join in with this commitment that will return to children the most important place to help them get back to normality in everyday life: to be able to go to school, where they will build their future," added Mayor of Norcia, Nicola Alemanno.
THE WORK OF THE FRANCESCA RAVA FOUNDATION IN THE AREAS HIT BY THE EARTHQUAKE
Since the first shocks in August 2016, the Francesca Rava Foundation has worked closely with the government, the Ministry of Education, Universities and Research (MIUR) and Civil Protection, to help reconstruct the schools, flagged up as the most urgent area of action after the earthquake. The Francesca Rava Foundation has undertaken to rebuild six schools; one already delivered in Arquata del Tronto on 3 November 2016; three in Norcia and two in Cascia. The Foundation commissions the construction of the schools and then donates to the local councils, with which it has previously entered into a special agreement. The supplier is selected based on cost, reliability and experience already matured in rapid emergency response. Planning is the responsibility of Civil Protection and in Norcia, the Forestry Agency. The Ministry of Education pays for the furnishings.
TWO NEW SCHOOLS ALSO IN CASCIA The Francesca Rava Foundation NPH Italia is also building two schools in Cascia: one primary school for 100 students and a middle school for 60 students that will be completed by May.
EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS
Over these months of emergency and major reconstruction work, the Francesca Rava Foundation-NPH Italia Onlus has listened to the needs of children and families, thus developing a real friendship with the area, which has already resulted in numerous interesting events and practical help, in close synergy with local authorities.
These include CREATIVE WORKSHOPS for Norcia elementary school children, PSYCHOLOGICAL-EMOTIONAL WORKSHOPS with the children of Arquata del Tronto school, an EDUCATIONAL TRIP TO MILAN for Norcia's middle and early secondary school students, who will be staying in Milan from 2 to 6 May 2017 as guests of the Francesca Rava Foundation - NPH Italia Onlus. The Foundation is also involved in a health project in Arquata del Tronto, where a gynaecologic outpatient clinic will be held at the local medical clinic and a scholarship awarded for a young gynaecologist.
Continue helping us! We need you to give us a "brick" for the Cascia middle school
You can make your contribution through:
Postal order on A/C 17775230
Bank transfer to BANCA MEDIOLANUM IT 39 G 03062 34210 000000760000
With credit card on www.nph-italia.org with reason: Cascia School
FRANCESCA RAVA FOUNDATION - NPH ITALIA ONLUS
The Francesca Rava Foundation-NPH Italia Onlus was founded in 2000, the fruit of the testimony of love that Francesca left with her short but intense life. It helps children in difficulty in Italy and around the world.
It is the Italian representative of NPH, Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (Our Little Brothers), which since 1954 has served orphaned children, abandoned in desperate need with homes and hospitals in nine Latin American countries, including impoverished Haiti.
The Foundation is always in the front line in emergencies affecting children, including in Italy. We are present with volunteers to offer first aid to migrant children and pregnant women on Italian naval vessels in the Sicilian Canal. We also fight against the abandonment of babies with the "ninna ho" project and we help to children health poverty with "In farmacia per i bambini" ('At the pharmacy for children'). We are rebuilding six schools for children of Central Italy affected by the earthquake.
Press office
Francesca Rava Foundation-NPH Italia Onlus - Tel +39 02 54122917
Silvia Valigi +39 3475315036, silvia.valigi@nphitalia.org
Guendalina Dainelli, +39 3474017867 news@nph-italia.org
Laura Battaglia, laura.battaglia@nph-italia.org
