Plenitude and CESVI: an alliance against educational poverty

Plenitude supports the CESVI Foundation in Case del Sorriso program, dedicated to children, adolescents, and young women in difficulty, to promote fundamental rights.

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In Italy, nearly 1.4 million minors live in absolute poverty, and another 2.2 million are in relative poverty^[1]. These numbers cannot be ignored, and they reflect a silent yet pervasive reality: educational poverty. This condition extends beyond the lack of economic resources; it profoundly affects the emotional, social, and relational spheres of minors, compromising their future.

To combat the vicious cycle of material and educational poverty, CESVI—a Foundation that operates worldwide to support the most vulnerable populations in promoting human rights, achieving their aspirations, and fostering sustainable development—has established the Case del Sorriso project. The aim is to provide a concrete response to educational poverty by ensuring a safe roof over the heads of minors in vulnerable conditions in Italy and around the world, while promoting their rights and improving living conditions through educational, cultural, and recreational activities.

Roberto Vignola, Deputy General Manager of CESVI, explains this project, which was realized in 2023/2024 with the contribution of Plenitude.

[1] Source: Con i Bambini – Osservatorio sulla Povertà Educativa - 2024

CESVI operates worldwide to support the most vulnerable populations. How do you address the issue of educational poverty?

“The rights of minors are often compromised globally by emergencies and multiple factors. To tackle this situation, we at CESVI have established Case del Sorriso in some of the poorest countries, child protection structures that provide services and accommodation for orphans, street children, or abandoned minors, as well as children victims of exploitation and violence, including within the family context. We offer them food, medical care, education, vocational training, psychological support, and the necessary guidance for a better future.

In Italy, we have opened Case del Sorriso in Naples, Bari, and Syracuse, in areas marked by economic and social fragility, as especially in the South, there is a significant gap in both the quantity and quality of services for minors, such as the provision of school meals, essential for full-day schooling, or nursery places, which also facilitate the employment of new mothers. We are also operational in Milan, with a fourth Casa del Sorriso in the Comasina district, to provide educational opportunities to a significant pool of minors.”

How did the collaboration with Plenitude come about?

“We share a strong commitment to combating educational poverty, aware of its increase in our country. From the beginning, we co-designed an extremely concrete response to give children and adolescents in the suburbs the opportunity to explore and develop their abilities, discovering and nurturing talents and aspirations, particularly among the most vulnerable and marginalized children and adolescents in the educational system.”

In this context, how did the programs and pedagogical methodologies come to life?

“The Educational Project of Case del Sorriso is based on three pillars: equity, to promote educational opportunities that are too often denied; protection, to ensure safe spaces in a climate of trust for sharing and personal growth; empowerment, to help everyone recognize their own potential and provide tools and opportunities to strengthen it. At the center there are children and families, seen as active protagonists in their growth journey. Case del Sorriso are places for meeting and socializing, designed to build educational networks attentive to the needs of children, families, and vulnerable adults. Activities are planned by specialized teams and focus on important themes for the local community. Collaboration with local realities is essential to carry out activities both inside and outside the Case del Sorriso spaces.”

What activities engage beneficiaries and distinguish the projects born from the collaboration with Plenitude?

“Thanks to Plenitude's support, Case del Sorriso in Naples, Bari, Syracuse, and Milan have offered 1,153 people, including 728 minors, training, recreational, and psychological support activities, including pathways for the development of IT, language, artistic, and sports skills; educational and school support; orientation pathways and vocational training opportunities; cultural and environmental initiatives; parenting support interventions; psychomotricity workshops; safe listening spaces and discussion groups for families; and psychological support pathways.

The collaboration also involved the project of Casa ritrovata in Faenza, a community for minors removed from families, which was damaged by the 2023 flood. Thanks to Plenitude's contribution, it was made operational again and suitable for welcoming activities, providing psychological support to beneficiaries and expanding the programming of initiatives.”

Can you share a story of minors or families who have benefited from the project?

“I still remember the words of G., 15 years old, who lived for a long time in a complex family context: “When I met the operators of the Case del Sorriso in Naples, I was a bit scared, but then I realized I could trust them.” This was the beginning of a path of recovery and awareness for his family. “Coming here really helps us”, he told us during the meetings. G.’s journey and that of his family exemplifies how timely intervention and support from Case del Sorriso can make a difference.”

What indicators do you use to measure the impact of the projects realized thanks to Plenitude's support?

“The Case del Sorriso program includes indicators that allow us to evaluate performance and identify new strategies to enhance the intervention, such as the activities carried out, the beneficiaries involved, the third-party entities concerned, and the professionals who contributed. Additionally, there is periodic evaluation by the educational team of each Casa del Sorriso on strengths and weaknesses, along with proposals for corrective actions to make the intervention more effective.”

The collaboration between Plenitude and CESVI demonstrates the importance of a shared commitment to addressing social challenges. Only through synergistic action can we build a future in which every minor has the opportunity to realize their dreams and aspirations.

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