The fundraising campaign for “Their Future in Your Hands,” which the Gruppo FS Italiane and Chico Mendes Altromercato promote together with ActionAid, is underway again. The objective is to contrast school dropouts and create inclusive and responsible communities that will drive the educational growth of adolescents and pre-adolescents. Over the Christmas holidays, 200 volunteers promoted the campaign aboard both regional and “Frecce” trains, illustrating the project’s characteristics and objectives to passengers who received an Altromercato chocolate bar in return for donations [see news: All Aboard for OpenSpace].
During the Easter festivities, Altromercato vendors will do the same, providing tasty “Bribon” chocolate bars in exchange for a donation, from April 11 to the end of June, in 20 “Chico Mendes Altromercato” shops in Milan, Cinisello Balsamo, Brescia and Province and “Cooperativa Mondi Possibili” shops in the Varese area [see list of participating shops].
Moreover, until August, donations can be made at all National Railway Stations at the self-service ticket machines, as well as on-line. The funds will donated to Project OpenSpace that involves ca. 4000 students in 12 first and second-degree secondary schools in areas with elevated dropout rates in Milan, Bari, Reggio Calabria and Palermo. Over 1600 parents and 500 teachers are involved in the project.
OpenSpace, which was selected by Con i Bambini for the Fund to Contrast the Educational Poverty of Minors, intends to guarantee access to an inclusive, quality education for everyone and promote the empowerment of students through innovative courses and labs, placing schools at the centre of their lives and turning them into hubs providing opportunities for young men and women.
