The ABF 0-11 Educational Hub in Sforzacosta, the fourth Andrea Bocelli Foundation project in the Marche region following the 2016 earthquake, concludes with the redevelopment-regeneration of the school building that housed the “G. Natali” Elementary School until today.

This project – lot B – together with the reconstruction of the 0-6 Preschool Hub – lot A – inaugurated on November 22, 2023, and the refurbishment of the gym – lot C – make up the 0-11 Educational Hub, where the concept of an educational space moves beyond the traditional boundaries of the classrooms to open up to children and the community and create a living laboratory for experimentation and creation.

An urban redevelopment and regeneration project is seeking to become a center where people can come together and learn and where young people can grow and develop their potential. The Educational Hub project stems from the school concept as a center for co-designed, integrated, enhanced, and enriched experiences accessible to the entire community. In this perspective, school becomes an opportunity for the regeneration of the social and urban fabric that – by bringing together spaces and settings – gives back and acquires new learning opportunities for all and creates a complex, hybrid learning environment, a creative and cultural hub, and a place where actions and relationships can come together, which can be a resource for the entire community.

The ABF 0-11 Educational Hub aims to be a sustainable, hybrid space capable of integrating relational approaches that foster the guidance and growth of children and help them develop personal responsibility. It leads to active participation and reflection, facilitating the emergence of new questions and solutions in a constantly changing world. Deeply rooted in the community, the Hub welcomes different cognitive and relational styles, nurturing uniqueness and promoting social, emotional, and relationship-building skills. Through visible, interactive processes of transformation, the Hub encourages curiosity and motivation, promoting the use of a variety of languages, specifically art, music, and digital, and enhancing individual memories and identities within the collective whole.

FRAMEWORK OF ACTIONS Organization of spaces

The Educational Hub project spreads over 5 areas:

1. The 0-6 Preschool Hub: is designed as a fluid system of spaces that promote an educational approach that moves beyond the physical boundaries of the classroom. In addition to the three sections (two for the Kindergarten area and one for the Daycare area), there are hybrid workshop spaces with a strong connection to the outdoors, thereby promoting educational continuity with outdoor spaces.
2. The Elementary School classrooms are located partly on the second floor and partly on the first floor. The classrooms can be used in pairs, as they can be reorganized to form a single integrated space made up of different areas dedicated to a range of activities. Functional and flexible, they are capable of accommodating a variety of experiences, while maintaining their functionality and focus on well-being. Finally, the semi-basement houses the canteen and kitchen. It has been connected to the garden, meaning that the cafeteria can be extended outdoors and transformed into a teaching space and theater.
3. The Labs located in all areas of the building are distinctive in that they are targeted at and open to the entire community, even during non-school hours with independent access from the exterior. The laboratory spaces include the art and science lab, the instrumental music and audio and video recording/creativity studio, and the space for educational robotics and new technologies. The aim of these labs is to initiate a process of renewal in the educational approach taken in formal education and training settings by encouraging research and reflection on the resources offered by expressive languages within the school curriculum.
4. The common areas and corridors complement the educational and relationship-building spaces and the informal areas for unplanned socializing that support informal learning, which are places where students can detach from their structured learning activities and find opportunities to interact casually with others, to relax, or to access resources that are unrelated to their school subjects and spaces for documents, such as storytelling and a museum of everyday life.
5. The garden and outdoor spaces are fundamental resources for the Educational Hub, not only in regard to the educational opportunities that are encouraged through school and extracurricular experiences, but also due to the fact that they can become a space that can open up to accommodate the community. These spaces are distinguished by three bubbles: reading, playing, and exploration, in addition to the rubberized playground surfacing where the children can engage in physical activities and play the various games that are incorporated into the floor.

AGORA

The entry area is a space for communication and dialog between families, educators, teachers, the community, and children. This open space extends toward the sections and laboratories, connecting all the areas and thus the people within them, encouraging glances and curiosity towards the spaces that are directly accessible and usable. A piano is placed in the center, which also opens up the use of space for music and movement activities: musical languages channeled as a universal resource to foster and enrich the relationship.

The agora is the public and shared space for recounting the projects that have been started and concluded within the hub and the research that has been conducted, with substantial space dedicated to a children’s library. Large notice boards are set up to hold documents, while the wooden shelving not only offers storage space, but also provides a surface for the exhibition of three-dimensional objects and artifacts. The agora thus presents itself as a museum of everyday life, where the actions of the children are placed ‘at the center’ of the entire Hub, making the processes and results of creative, constructive, and collaborative conduct visible.

The spaces of the storytelling wall present the research and discovery processes undertaken by arranging written, photographic, and artistic documents aimed at the adults who enter the Hub.

CLASSROOMS

The Elementary School’s classrooms are located on the first and second floors. A reorganization of the spaces makes them both functional and flexible, capable of accommodating a variety of experiences while maintaining their characteristics of functionality, comfort, and well-being, such as writable walls and teach walls.

ADULT AREA / LA PIRA

The adult space is the place where all the professionals in the building can meet and exchange ideas. This is also where more private discussions with families take place, as well as training and coordination initiatives, research, planning and paperwork.

ROBOTICS LABORATORY / MATTEI CLASSROOM

A space where the children can explore technology through play, creativity, and collaboration. The space is enriched with natural and technological materials: wood, modeling clay and cardboard, together with small programmable robots and electronic components. Children can explore the concept of construction and movement by assembling simple robots, bringing out their natural curiosity as they learn to create independently. The available activities promote logical and computational thinking through play, thereby encouraging teamwork and the sharing of ideas.

ART LAB / RAFFELLO CLASSROOM

A space that is open to discovery and exploration, where children can express themselves freely through painting and drawing, both indoors and outdoors. There are many materials available: brushes, tempera and watercolor paints, chalk, and natural materials. The activities promote sensory exploration, experimentation with colors and textures, and the careful observation of the landscape or natural objects. The transition between the indoors and outdoors stimulates a deep connection between the children, the environment, and the creative process.

MUSIC LAB / CORELLI CLASSROOM

A creative and collaborative space where the children can explore rhythms and melodies through play and improvisation. Orff instruments, such as xylophones, drums, and maracas, as well as natural materials and everyday objects, offer instant access to the musical world. The activities that can be carried out within this classroom focus on the exploration of sound and collective creation, connecting music, movement, and storytelling.

RECORDING ROOM / MARCONI CLASSROOM

This space holds recording instruments, such as microphones, portable recording devices, computers with intuitive audio and video editing software, and musical instruments. The children are encouraged to explore sound through storytelling, music, and the natural environment, recording their voices, sounds they find interesting, and creating sound stories or podcasts. The green screen in the room can become a tool for producing audiovisuals that stimulate new learning experiences and provide guidance.

ABF IMMERSIVE LAB / OLIVETTI CLASSROOM

A highly interactive and engaging space, designed to:

• stimulate all the senses of children and promote learning through multi-sensory experiences;
• provide the school with a library of immersive digital content;
• make touch-less interaction, engaging, collaborative and accessible to all;
• design and integrate technology harmoniously with the architecture of the built environments.

work and program in an immersive way, while fostering movement in the languages of art, music, and digital.

MULTI-FUNCTIONAL SPACES / MONTESSORI, AGAZZI, AND MONTALCINI CLASSROOMS

The multi-functional space is able to accommodate multiple levels of experience. It is mainly distinguished by the library.

This space is also where the children’s families are given feedback on the experiences they have undertaken during the educational year.

GARDEN

The outdoor spaces are a central part of the reconstruction and redevelopment project. They are presented as the natural extension of the indoor spaces, distinguished and differentiated by area and type. There are 4 themed areas:

• The Reading Bubble, with bean bag chairs and a Book Crossing station;
• The Play Bubble, with a painted chessboard on the ground and a ping pong table;
• The Exploration Bubble, with a distorting mirror;
• The Sports Space: an area with rubberized playground surfacing that incorporates various games to promote movement and group play (twister, bell, etc.)

MEETING SPACE PODIUM/STAGE

The semi-basement is a multi-functional space that can be used as an extended learning environment together with the outdoor area, a stage for theatrical activities, and a place for integrated civic workshops.

In addition, this floor houses the canteen and kitchen. It has been connected to the garden, meaning that shared dining experience can be expanded outdoors, allowing experiences based on the languages of art and music.

PARTNERS

The activities of the elementary school and the civic workshops began on 30 September, 2024.

As part of an integrated relationship, ABF coordinates the workshops for the school and the local companies that inhabit the spaces via the hub’s pedagogical coordinator and the art, music, and digital atelieristas.

• Municipality of Macerata
• “E. Mestica” School Institute
• GLATAD Association: “POMERIGGI IN QUARTIERE 7×7” (AFTERNOONS IN THE 7×7 NEIGHBOURHOOD) Project.

This homework help and recreational activities project aims to provide children and young people aged 7 to 18 residing/domiciled in the Municipality of Macerata with spaces for recreation and socialization where they can complete their homework and engage in individual and group games and musical activities, with the aim of imparting respect for the rules that apply when interacting with others and in small groups. A particular focus is placed on unaccompanied foreign minors, who will be able to support and assist the educators in recreational and musical activities and with homework help.

• Il Faro Social Cooperative

The “ESTATE IN QUARTIERE 7×7” (SUMMER IN THE 7×7 NEIGHBORHOOD) Project. The summer workshops aim to provide recreational outdoor spaces where children and young people aged 6-14 residing or domiciled in the Municipality of Macerata can come together and engage in play, recreation, sports, and music. A “Tutor Group” of young people aged 14 to 18 will also be present, where places will be reserved for unaccompanied foreign minors. The young people will assist the teaching staff in creating animation and team-building activities to learn how to interact with others and develop social skills.

“TEMPI SUPPLEMENTARI” (SUPPLEMENTARY TIMES) Project. These multi-sport activities are coordinated by a professional instructor, who is assisted by unaccompanied foreign minors, and they aim to promote sports as being part of a healthy lifestyle and a tool for optimal mental and physical development. These activities also enhance the educational aspect of sports, especially considering minors and young people with disabilities who may potentially risk social exclusion. The sports activities are aimed at two groups of children and young people, depending on their age (between 6 and 11 years old and between 12 and 18 years old), residing/domiciled in the Municipality of Macerata.

• PARS Social Cooperative

“SPORTELLO DI ASCOLTO PER ADOLESCENTI” (OUTREACH COUNSELLING OFFICE FOR TEENAGERS) Project
The psychological help desk for teenagers offers a safe and confidential environment where participants can express their concerns, share their life experiences, and receive psychological support from professionals in the field. The goal is to promote the teenagers’ personal and social development and foster the processes of inclusion for unaccompanied foreign minors while providing emotional support to help overcome the hardships caused by family separation and build new pathways for inclusion.

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130Direct beneficiaries

2102Indirect beneficiaries (inhabitants of the neighbourhood)

Objectives

• To create an educational context open to the local area, a centre of methodological innovation through the languages of art, music and new technologies;
• To promote continuity in education and schooling;
• To promote the general redevelopment of the Sforzacosta area.

Project details

THE NETWORK

Municipality of Macerata, Extraordinary Commissioner of the Italian Government for Reconstruction, REO Marches Region, Mestica School District

THE PROJECT AND THE CONTEXT

The fifth intervention in the 2016 earthquake areas, ABF’s intervention took place at Sforzacosta, in the municipality of Macerata. The “ABF 0-11 Educational Hub” will be developed over several steps: the reconstruction of the new kindergarten, which will have dedicated spaces and a section for the crèche; and, in the existing primary school, classrooms will be redesigned and music, art and technology workshops will be created, which will also be open to both teaching and external users;

The garden and outdoor spaces that, in addition to hosting school activities, will act as a link between the Hub and the outdoors. The inclusion of the children’s centre in the Sforzacosta neighbourhood becomes an opportunity to reorganise all the existing spaces, including the external ones, in a functional way, in terms of accessibility and distribution, with the aim of defining a new educational hub that is a reference point and element for rethinking the master plan of a peripheral but strategic area for the city.

IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITIES

Restoring opportunities for personal growth and thus for economic and cultural development to the inhabitants of a town that had been deprived of them due to the 2016 earthquake, through the provision of functional physical spaces and centres for the development of various project ideas, such as the kindergarten and primary school workshops. Furthermore, through the construction of the school, the necessary support can be provided to families with school-age children to access services, thus helping to avoid depopulation. Furthermore, by making such spaces accessible outside the school context, a place that creates aggregation and a sense of community will also be able to include the non-school population, giving the possibility of the creation of a social dimension that is not to be sought elsewhere.

At the induced level, the Foundation’s facilities can also generate an impact on the local economy because, in addition to being used during school hours, they are also used during extracurricular hours or during the summer, encouraging a flow of people (families, educational staff, donors, masterclass students and teachers, etc.) who make a positive impact on the local economy.

Timelapse

Timelapse of the reconstruction of the 0-6 school of Sforzacosta (MC)

Stato del progetto

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Extraordinary Commissioner of the Italian Government for Reconstruction, USR Marches Region, Municipality of San Ginesio, IPSIA (State Vocational High School) “R. Frau”

PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND CONTEXT

The San Ginesio project comes after the projects implemented in Sarnano, Muccia and Camerino, in the area of the 2016 earthquake epicentre; it represents a pilot at national level for a public/private collaboration that involves co-planning and co-design, all the way to co-execution. In order to implement the project, in fact, the Extraordinary Commissioner for Reconstruction after the 2016 Earthquake, Giovanni Legnini, issued Order no. 28 of 25/10/2021, published in the Official Gazette, in which, for the first time in our country, a third sector entity is entrusted with the design and project management of a 9 million public work built with commission resources.

For the first time a state decree also notes that a multidisciplinary team with expertise in architecture, engineering, youth education, budgeting & controlling, legal & institutional relations is required for the construction of a school.

The design was carried out by the multidisciplinary ABF team during 2022 and the construction site was handed over, after the ordinary tendering procedure, in January 2024.

The careful planning process, in the design and aesthetics of the school, a building of approximately 2000 square metres, is aimed at revaluing the figure of the specialised worker as a key resource of “Made in Italy” and in particular for the development of quality companies in the area.

OBJECTIVES

• To provide a new safe and functional structure for students of the local area;
• To restore normal teaching activities;
• To reassess the figure of the specialised worker as a key resource for the development of quality small and medium-sized undertakings in Italy;
• To create an innovative public-private relationship model;
• To create tools (ABF Suite) to increase effectiveness and communication in the public-private relationship.

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

PROJECT MANAGEMENT PROCESS

Stage 1: Identification of need based on the list (Commissioner’s Order no. 109 dated 23/12/2020 and no. 28 of 25/10/2021) provided by the Italian Government’s Extraordinary Commissioner for Reconstruction and the context analysis carried out through focus groups and interviews*;

Stage 2: Design by a multi-disciplinary team (education professionals, lawyers, architects, engineers, administrative staff) dealing with each stage of the design (preliminary, educational, final and executive);

Stage 3: Project execution is managed by ABF, in particular by the multidisciplinary team with strict attention to compliance with the project schedule and budget;

Stage 4: Evaluation using the indicators defined in the design stage;

Stage 5: Reporting through the “ABF Suite” platform, developed for the global design and management of real estate projects in Italy.

* The context analysis required to identify the needs of potential beneficiaries and the actions to be undertaken includes a preliminary study and in-depth analysis on:
· (It.) Ministerial Decree of 18 December 1975 on updated technical standards for school buildings;
· The Guidelines of INDIRE, the National Institute for Documentation on Educational Research Innovation;
· The Instructions of the document “Designing, building and inhabiting the school – Futura” of the (It.) Ministry of Education, also in the light of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.

IMPACTS ON THE COMMUNITIES

To restore opportunities for personal growth and thus economic and cultural development to the inhabitants of a town that had been deprived of them due to the 2016 earthquake, through the provision of functional and multifunctional physical spaces for the development of various project ideas. Furthermore, through the construction of the school, we can provide quality of educational offerings on a par with the best experiences nationwide, thus helping to avoid depopulation. Through the construction of the school, the productivity of both the school staff and the local associations that – together with the Foundation – will manage those spaces can be expressed and amplified.

Furthermore, by making such spaces accessible outside the school context, a place that creates aggregation and a sense of community will also be able to include the non-school population, giving the possibility of the creation of a social dimension that is not to be sought elsewhere.

At the induced level, the Foundation’s facilities can also generate an impact on the local economy because, in addition to being used during school hours, they are also used during extracurricular hours or during the summer, encouraging a flow of people (families, educational staff, donors, masterclass students and teachers, etc.) who make a positive impact on the local economy. This may give the local population the opportunity not to migrate to another country or region.

Timelapse

Timelapse ABF “MARIA MANETTI SHREM“ EDUCATIONAL CENTER

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• 160 Number of students involved
• 18 Number of teachers
• 73 Number of Members of Woodwinds Orchestra of “Città Di Camerino“
• 6.850 Number of inhabitants in Camerino

Objectives

• Maintain continuity in access to music education.
• Offer a suitable, permanent structure.
• Give a tangible sign to the community that everyday life is being restored.
• Offer a point of reference to the communities.
• Consolidate local projects to create an integrated project system.

Project details

THE PARTNER

ABF direct Intervention project

THE NETWORK

Special Commissioner for the Reconstruction from Italian Government, Regional School Office (URS) of the Marques Region, Camerino City Council.

THE PROJECT

After building the ‘Giacomo Leopardi’ school in Sarnano and the pre-school and elementary school in Muccia, in the province of Macerata, the Andrea Bocelli Foundation has dedicated a new project in Camerino, in the Marche, to building the new Music Academy, which was destroyed by the earthquake swarm that hit Central Italy in 2016 and has continued to torment the area ever since.

The project, which will benefit over 160 students, thanks to the agreement that is already in place with the Conservatory of Fermo, allows the new building to hold not only the lessons for enrolled students, but to also act as a campus for the conservatory, thereby taking on an even more important role within the area. The Municipality of Camerino, local associations, the University, music-centered high schools, and the Conservatory of Fermo are all involved in the project, with the latter exceptionally already granting a long-term agreement.

ABF did not merely construct the building, but – together with the institutions mentioned above – will embark on a path to bolster and make the music-centered building self-sustainable, establishing it within a network with the other local and national experiences organized and managed by ABF, where possible.

The new building, built with modern, anti-seismic construction techniques, houses themed classrooms, common areas, and an auditorium.

ABF ACTIONS

The Andrea Bocelli Foundation – within a direct tender framework – will be in charge of the reconstruction works of the school, while the coordination activities will be handled by the central and local offices of the Special Commissioner for the Reconstruction.

THE CONTEXT

On August 24th, 2016, at 3:36 am, a 6.0 magnitude earthquake hit the central part of Italy, namely the territories of Abruzzo, Lazio, Marches, and Umbria. Thousands of people were involved in the event which left 299 dead, several injured, and caused serious damages to the territories.

On October 26th and 30th, new violent shocks hit Central Italy, particularly the border between Umbria and the Marches. The tremor recorded on October 30th had a 6.5 magnitude, and it was the strongest in the last 30 years: the number of stranded people and the amount of damages grew exponentially, although no victims were reported.

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Number of children involved every year: 130

Age group involved: 0-11 year olds

Number of teachers and educators: 25

Number of facilities involved: 2

Objectives

• Offer suitable conditions so that each child can develop their talent.
• Offer the appropriate musical instruments to allow the children to fully master the musical language.
• Offer an innovative resource for designing musical education experiences that are integrated within the broader planning carried out by the center.
• To provide significant support to the areas, which find themselves facing demographic and environmental challenges every day.
• Coordination, research and training.

Project details

THE NETWORK

The “Sandro Pertini” School in Capannoli (PI) and the “Mons. Paoletti” School in Pieve Torina (MC)
Municipality of Lajatico and Municipality of Muccia.

ABF ACTIONS

• Complete, enrich and furnish the Music and Art Workshops.
• Incorporate and support a music atelierista.
• Enhance the initiatives offered via ABF’s pedagogical coordinator.

THE PROJECT

According to the philosophy of the Andrea Bocelli Foundation, a school is not merely a safe and functional building where learning takes place, but rather a point of connection for the entire area, a place to be inhabited and experienced, where shared stories and emotions can be exchanged. It is a place where new relationships, learning, and skills can emerge and be consolidated.

To this end, the Art & Music Labs project includes the integration of the figure of the atelierista within the educational staff, in addition to expanding and maintaining the laboratory spaces. The awareness behind this is that it is the natural tendency of children to share images, thoughts, and emotions through communicative means based on complex forms. These must be supported through relational and spatial environments rich in opportunities for exploration, building, and sharing. It is within this framework that the atelierista designs experiences that are incorporated within the overall teaching plan prepared by the teachers. The atelierista works alongside a pedagogical coordinator, who supports the integration of their activities within the educational and teaching activities at the center.

THE CONTEXT

The 2020 ISTAT Equitable and Sustainable Well-Being Report confirms that, in Italy, we are still not able to offer all young people the same opportunities for an adequate education, despite the improvements achieved in the last decade. In particular, the level of education and skills that young people manage to achieve still depends, to a large extent, on their social background, socio-economic context, and the area in which they live.

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THE NETWORK

School District “G. Leopardi” of Sarnano

PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND CONTEXT

The experimental Research-Action “ABF Music Curriculum A-R Project” aims to initiate a process of renewal of the educational approach in the formal contexts of education and instruction from 3 to 14 years of age through an action of research and reflection on the resources offered by the languages of music within the school curriculum. The path lasts four years and sees the addition of a new school level from year to year until the completion of the first cycle of education. The pathway is addressed directly to teachers with the aim of supporting – through direct experimentation of projects within their respective school contexts – the acquisition and consolidation of strategies for using and managing the potential of musical languages in everyday life: a resource to support, supplement and enrich each field of experience and subject area.

OBJECTIVES

• To initiate, coordinate and consolidate a process of methodological innovation supported by the resources offered by musical languages in education;
• To experiment with new forms of educational continuity from 3 to 14 years of age;
• To update the school curriculum through participatory planning with teachers.

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

* Number of teachers participating in the 3rd year of the action-research project

**  Number of students enrolled in the academic year 23-24 at the School District Leopardi” of Sarnano

PROJECT MANAGEMENT PROCESS

Stage 1: Identification on the basis of needs analysis, stakeholder mapping and partner assessment, with subsequent feasibility* project;

Stage 2: Design undertaken by the in-house Team involving recipients, beneficiaries and local partners in co-design activities; 

Stage 3: Execution direct ABF management through structured and standardised forms of monitoring and evaluation; 

Stage 4: Evaluation using the indicators defined in the design stage;

Stage 5: Monthly narrative and four-monthly financial report.

* The context analysis required to identify the needs of potential beneficiaries and the actions to be undertaken includes a preliminary study and in-depth analysis on:
· 2030 Agenda as a framework for project guidance;
· Systematic review of the international literature.

IMPACTS ON THE COMMUNITIES

The project enhances the daily work of the teachers working within the School District, offering them a channel for continuous training with which to enrich their armoury of tools and educational strategies. In addition, it characterises and identifies the School itself, on the one hand as a place of active participation and educational research, and on the other as a school specifically open to musical languages for educational innovation.

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Beneficiaries

Number of students involved: 50

Number of inhabitants in Muccia: 1,000

Objectives

• Build the new “E. De Amicis” pre-school and elementary school.
• Restore normal school activities.
• Restore confidence and trust in the future and a desire to stay in their hometown to the Municipality of Muccia and its young people.

Project Details

THE PARTNER

ABF direct aid project

THE NETWORK

Special Commissioner for the Reconstruction from the Italian Government, Regional School Office (URS) of the Marche Region, Municipality of Muccia.

THE PROJECT

After building the ‘Giacomo Leopardi’ school in Sarnano, in the province of Macerata, inaugurated in May 2018 and built in just 150 days, the Andrea Bocelli Foundation launched a new project in Muccia, in the Marche region, to rebuild the “E. De Amicis” pre-school and elementary school destroyed by the earthquake swarm that hit Central Italy in 2016 and which continues to torment the area.

The project, whose beneficiaries will be pre-school and elementary students, saw the demolition of the remains of the old facility and the construction of the new building, which took place within a concerted action plan with the Special Commissioner for the Reconstruction and the Regional School Office (URS) of the Marche Region. The new permanent school was donated to the local administration as a “turnkey” project. As of today, in Muccia almost all households still live in container houses and children are still attending their classes in containers. 95% of the houses are not fit to live in, however, there is a strong willingness and determination to remain in the area, which overcomes the issues and challenges posed by having to reorganize one’s daily life. This is the reason ABF has decided to give a key reference point back to this community: the school for the students and their families which will be a safe and functional facility offering a space for both educational and community activities.

ABF ACTIONS

The Andrea Bocelli Foundation – within a direct tender framework – will be in charge of the demolition and reconstruction works of the school, while coordinating activities with the central and local offices of the Special Commissioner for the Reconstruction.

THE CONTEXT

On August 24, 2016 at 3:36 am, a 6.0 magnitude earthquake hit Central Italy, namely the regions of Abruzzo, Lazio, Marche, and Umbria. Thousands of people were involved in the event, which left 299 dead, several injured, and caused serious damage throughout the regions in question.

On October 26 and 30, new violent shocks hit Central Italy, especially along the border between the Umbria and Marche regions. The tremor recorded on October 30 had a 6.5 magnitude and was the strongest to occur in Italy for the last 30 years: the number of people left unable to use their homes and the amount of damage grew exponentially, although there were no deaths.

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The St. Luc Foundation is a Haitian organisation, providing education, medical care and dignified life to more than 1 million people each year through its projects, employing more than 900 Haitians. Father Rick Frechette, an American, priest and doctor, founded and directs this institution in collaboration with a group of young Haitian leaders, who, together, have the will to lead their country towards a new future in which every man can live outside extreme poverty that takes away their dignity. Founded in 2001, St. Luc programmes provide:

• Training and food to 10,000 students every year
• Medical care to more than 200,000 people each year
• Work for more than 1,800 permanent staff.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND CONTEXT

In a context such as Haiti, the role played by school becomes fundamental: safe places where children can “take refuge” from the dangers of rampant crime and benefit from an education which offers potential emancipation for them and the community itself. Educating children and their families to the concept of school as a chance for emancipation for themselves and the community means engendering awareness that change must go through and for them. Education and respect for its value, reaffirms the dignity of individuals, making them capable to positively impact the choices for their future. Education also means the culture of self respect, respect of one’s own body, in a more responsible approach to sexuality and to STDs.

All schools of the ABF-Fondation St. Luc system have the same status as state ones, and they are managed by duly authorised and qualified teachers and personnel. The curriculum is in line with that of public schools and is managed by a central committee, which is responsible for the implementation and monitoring its application in the schools of the various communities. A local committee at each school manages adaptation of the curriculum based on local characteristics and needs and on the level of the students concerned. The Central Committee is in constant dialogue with the local committees, communication which is not only conducive to addressing the specific needs related to education, but also the general conditions in which one operates. All teachers are included in a regular training programme that follows the national curriculum. The 5 schools of St. Augustin, St. Philomene, Notre Dame du Rosaire, St. Raphael and Manitane include kitted out learning rooms, management offices, library, computer lab, kitchen, canteen, sanitary facilities, playground. Some of the school facilities are equipped with electricity powered by a system of solar panels, solar-powered lamps, water towers that serve the Community as well, a system of water purification and distribution. ABF schools host the ABF Mobile Clinic project, the 3.COM Project and meetings with educational committees and representatives of the Community.

OBJECTIVES

• To maintain continuous access to education for the students living in the 5 communities
• To ensure a salary for teachers;
• To offer a meal to students every day;
• To improve the level of education of the 5 communities;
• To offer a safe haven to the community.

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

PROJECT MANAGEMENT PROCESS

Stage 1: Identification on the basis of the needs analysis with subsequent feasibility project shared with the partner;

Stage 2: Design carried out directly by the local partner and verified through ABF team missions carried out over time;

Stage 3: Execution carried out by the local partner;

Stage 4: Four-monthly narrative and financial reporting.

IMPACTS ON THE COMMUNITIES

The possibility of learning, through innovative teaching methodologies, in areas lacking public education and community spaces makes it possible to develop educational, public health and work placement policies, which in a context such as Haiti, take on an even higher value. Indeed, in Haiti, the education of children, and their families, is the main factor for change and a means to positively influence choices for their future. Education also means a culture of self-respect, of one’s own body, in a more responsible approach to sexuality and the resulting diseases; in fact, the teaching proposals are, first and foremost, a tool for the protection of one’s health from contracting diseases and is a form of cultural struggle, which provides an alternative to criminality as the sole possibility of survival.

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• 100 Number of students involved
• 3.268Number of inhabitants of Sarnano

Objectives

• Construct the new G. Leopardi middle school.
• Restore the normal course of teaching activities.
• Give back confidence and hope in the future to the Community of Sarnano and its young people.

Project details

THE PARTNER

ABF direct aid project

THE NETWORK

The Only the Brave Foundation, the Special Commissioner for the Reconstruction from the Italian Government, and the Municipality of Sarnano.

THE PROJECT

The Andrea Bocelli Foundation and the Only The Brave Foundation, united in their desire to carry out tangible solidarity projects at an international level, are aiming to bring back a sense of normality to the futures of the many young people of Sarnano, a medieval village rich in history, located in the province of Macerata, whose artistic heritage has been severely affected by the earthquake.

The Andrea Bocelli Foundation and the Only the Brave Foundation therefore decided to join forces to rebuild the “Giacomo Leopardi” middle school in Sarnano, which had been declared unfit for use due to the earthquake that had hit Central Italy in 2016. Reconstruction work started in cooperation with the office of the Special Commissioner for the Reconstruction and the school was donated to the local administration as a “turnkey” solution within 150 working days.

The new facility – built using the latest, anti-seismic construction techniques – hosts over 100 students.

ABF ACTIONS

The Andrea Bocelli Foundation supports:

• The school reconstruction project.
• The coordination of activities with the Special Commissioner for Reconstruction.
• Coordination with project partners, both private and public.

THE CONTEXT

On August 24, 2016 at 3:36 am, a 6.0 magnitude earthquake hit Central Italy, namely the regions of Abruzzo, Lazio, Marche, and Umbria. Thousands of people were involved in the event, which left 299 dead, several injured, and caused serious damage throughout the regions in question.

On October 26 and 30, new violent shocks hit Central Italy, especially along the border between the Umbria and Marche regions. The tremor recorded on October 30 had a 6.5 magnitude and was the strongest to occur in Italy for the last 30 years: the number of people left unable to use their homes and the amount of damage grew exponentially, although there were no deaths.

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Devarenne, Dame Marie and Jeremie community

Objectives

• Offer a suitable facility to welcome and host people such as teachers, volunteers, donors, staff members, visitors.

Project details

PARTNER

Fondation St. Luc – Haiti

ABF ACTIONS

• To date, after the construction of the facilities, the maintenance costs are borne by ABF.

THE PROJECT

Through the EDU project, the Andrea Bocelli foundation has achieved the construction of 3 Guest Houses to host staff, volunteers and supporters of the ABF and Fondation St. Luc team during missions and stays on location. The facility in St Raphael houses on a stable basis also some school teachers in order to support their attendance in view of its geographical position, thus decreasing turnover due to logistics difficulties.

THE CONTEXT

The schools of St. Raphael, Manitane e St. Augustin are located in communities that are several hours of travel from the capital of PAP. This is the reason why the implementation of spaces that can regularly house not only teams and volunteers, but also local staff, such as the staff of the Mobile Clinic project, is important.

Before the construction of these facilities, dormitory rooms were arranged in the schools’ classrooms.

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