Poverty in Italy reached historical highs after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a 2021 Istat report. The report found that more than 1.9 million households were living in absolute poverty and were unable to afford basic needs. The incidence of relative poverty, which accounts for those living below the average poverty line while being able to afford some necessities, also increased. About 2.9 million households, or 11% of the population, were living in relative poverty in 2021. To help combat the rise in poverty rates, these five charities operating in Italy are working to bring assistance to marginalized people in need.

Mission Bambini

In Italy, more than 1.4 million children live in poverty and 14.2% of them live in absolute poverty. Mission Bambini is an NGO that seeks “to give help to poor, sick, outcast, uneducated children.” Goffredo Modena, an engineer, founded the organization in Milan on January 18, 2000. During its first five years, Mission Bambini worked to set up its Children’s Heart program, which focuses on saving the lives of babies abroad born with heart conditions. From 2000 to 2005, the organization helped more than 20,000 receive medical treatments.

At the national level, Mission Bambini launched early childhood educational programs in 2006, providing services like study support, dropout prevention and school renovations. Thanks to the efforts of volunteers, more than 12,000 children obtained access to learning services at an early age.

Soleterre

Soleterre is also among the health care-oriented, non-profit charities operating in Italy. It seeks to support those not fortunate enough to be afforded a healthy life, regardless of age or provenance. Though Soleterre’s base is in Italy, it reached 23 developing countries to bring food relief programs to 30,000 people and other health care relief programs to 260,000 people.

Since 2002, Soleterre has been providing aid, in the Italian cities of Pavia and Taranto, to children and adolescent cancer patients. The organization focuses on providing economic, psychological and medical support to give children a chance to improve their diagnosis and possibly heal. Soleterre reached more than 21,000 children and 16 hospitals with cancer assistance programs.

Save the Children

Another charity operating in Italy that focuses on aiding young people is Save The Children. The foundation collects donations from Italians and supports developing programs for children in 62 countries. Save the Children’s campaigns focus on fighting malnutrition, ending wars and providing safe environments where children can thrive.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 5.2 million children died in 2019 from “mostly preventable and treatable causes.” Currently, Save the Children estimates that malnutrition threatens 13.6 million kids under the age of 5. To tackle this issue, the organization launched its “Emergenza Fame” (Famine Emergency) campaign to mobilize Italians by urging them to petition their government and donate to fund food programs in Somalia and India.

Intersos

Intersos was originally founded in 1992, to aid people who extreme poverty, war and other unfortunate circumstances affect. Since its inception, the organization has operated on an international level and brought emergency humanitarian intervention to 23 countries, providing medical care, shelter and basic necessary goods.

In 2011 Intersos launched the A28 Center in Rome, to provide nightly accommodations to young and unaccompanied minors traveling to Europe. In 2017, another center was established in Rome to supply medical aid to migrant women and children, as well as for Italian nationals. Most recently, Intersos worked in Ukraine to aid refugees by establishing psychological, medical assistance and protection resources.

Assistenza Nazionale Tumori (ANT)

The Assistenza Nazionale Tumori (ANT) or National Tumor Assitance originated in 1978 seeking to provide free medical home care to those who are suffering from tumors and unable to afford medical assistance. Over the years, the organization helped more than 155,000 ill people by engaging teams of doctors, nurses, nutritionists and more, to provide health care directly within households through dedicated therapies. Some of the additional services ANT provides include hygiene care, laundry services and transportation of patients to medical centers.

While ANT mainly provides support and infusion therapies, it runs a free mobile prevention center, dubbed the “Bus of Prevention,” equipped with oncological diagnostic tools. ANT’s programs in 11 out of 20 Italian regions can reach those facing tumor-related concerns, spanning the length of Italy’s famous booth-shaped territory.

Looking Ahead

As of 2023, 22% of the Italian population is living at risk of food poverty following the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. These five charities operating in Italy, and beyond, continue to tackle the problems affecting marginalized, young and non-national individuals to make sure they do not become a statistic.

– Francesco Luisi
Photo: Flickr