Poverty is not only a matter of financial resources. Living in poverty often means having fewer educational opportunities, greater difficulty accessing services and fewer chances for children and young people to build their future. This is why addressing a family’s vulnerabilities means acting on several fronts, combining practical support, education and a strong local presence. The “CostellAzioni +” project was created to address social, economic and educational poverty in the cities of Genoa and Catanzaro through integrated actions for families experiencing severe socioeconomic hardship, with particular attention to children and young people. Our support focuses specifically on activities in Genoa and Catanzaro, accompanying families through programs that provide support to the entire household. The initiative is carried out by Fondazione L’Albero della Vita ETS, an organization active in Italy and internationally in promoting effective actions to ensure well-being, protect and promote rights, and support the development of children and their families, women and mothers, and the communities they belong to. We have already worked with the Foundation to support vulnerable families and children through Varcare la Soglia, an initiative active in Naples, Palermo, Perugia and Catanzaro between 2021 and 2023. To address economic poverty, the project provides grocery vouchers for six months to 15 vulnerable families in Genoa and 15 families in Catanzaro, together with guidance on conscious spending, household budget management and supporting materials. To address educational poverty, the project will provide academic support programs and educational workshops for minors. In Genoa, the project also includes the redevelopment of a property confiscated from the mafia, located in Vico Mele and entrusted by the Municipality to the Foundation as a venue for educational activities for children and young people experiencing vulnerability and hardship. The space will be dedicated to children aged 6 to 14 and young people aged 16 to 20, identified through social services and local networks, with particular attention to families with low ISEE income indicators, unemployment and educational poverty. Overall, the project will involve 210 beneficiaries. It combines support for the most immediate needs with pathways designed to strengthen skills, independence and opportunities. Our contribution will support part of the costs of the activities planned in Genoa and Catanzaro to address economic poverty and school dropout, as well as the costs of redeveloping the confiscated property in Genoa. Details Location: Genoa and Catanzaro Foundation: L’Albero della Vita ETS Beneficiaries: 210 Contribution: €50,000 Period: July 2026 – June 2027
