Never Alone

Unaccompanied children on the long march towards Europe. Young girls and boys facing danger, both on land and at sea, in search of a better future.

As of 31 December 2018, 10,787 unaccompanied children had arrived in Italy.

Youngsters reaching the shores of Italy alone, with no family at all. A tragedy within the tragedy in the complex world of illegal immigration.

Enel Cuore, together with other Foundations and non-profit organisations - Fondazione Cariplo, Compagnia di San Paolo, Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Cuneo, Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Padova e Rovigo, Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Torino, Fondazione CON IL SUD, Fondazione Monte dei Paschi di Siena, Fondazione Peppino Vismara and the JPMorgan Chase Foundation - supports initiatives aimed at improving the process of identification, support, integration and assisting the transition to adulthood for these young migrants. This is the objective of the 2018 call for proposals "NEVER ALONE, for a possible tomorrow: reception and support for unaccompanied foreign children and young adults arriving in Italy alone".

This commitment started in 2016 with the first NEVER ALONE call for proposals, in response to the eighth (SDG #8: "Decent Work and Economic Growth") of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations in the 2030 Agenda, towards which the Enel Group has defined specific objectives as part of its pledge to the UN.

With this project we are contributing to providing those young foreigners arriving alone in Italy with the wherewithal to build the kind of future that was denied them in their own country.

"Unaccompanied foreign children flee extreme conditions of war and poverty, often without protection and with the risk of them having no future in a foreign country. With the Never Alone call for proposals, Enel Cuore, together with other foundations, aims to provide practical solutions for their needs, facilitating the development of effective integration processes to guarantee their inclusion and support."

Andrea Valcalda, Managing Director of Enel Cuore

The 2018 NEVER ALONE call for proposals invited participation from public-private partnerships made up of at least three non-profit organisations with proven experience in support and inclusion activities for children and/or migrants/asylum seekers. Eight projects have been identified aimed at facilitating independence and job opportunities for young migrant boys and girls arriving in Italy as "UFMs" (unaccompanied foreign minors).

A total of 3.2 million euros have been made available by the promoters of the initiative.

The projects that have been chosen help to strengthen the integration of foreign children and young adults in Italy and to ensure that effective long-term inclusion processes are in place.

The areas of activity include: support, education, training, supporting the transition to adult independence, strengthening and widening foster care services and voluntary guardianship programmes, and support for young girls.

This is in order to make sure that the dream of a possible tomorrow, for the young people and young refugees arriving in Italy, really can become a reality.

Discover all the projects financed as part of the Never Alone call for proposals.