Italy - First post-Covid summer campus for blind children at Don Bosco Institute in Florence

27 August 2020

(ANS - Florence) - The summer campus 'Il filo di Arianna' is underway at the Don Bosco Institute of the Salesians in Florence. Itis organized by the Italian Union of the Blind and Visually Impaired of Tuscany with the contribution of the "Fondazione CR Firenze  (Red Cross)" and the Institute for Research, Training and Rehabilitation, Irifor. Eleven young people will participate until next Sunday: nine are visually impaired and two are blind. They come mostly from Florence, but also from Pistoia, Siena, Massa and Carrara. The Blind Union was able to carry out this social inclusion project for the fourth consecutive year thanks to the CR Firenze Foundation 'Summer together'.

There are eleven operators, hence one for each young person, in this experience of being together, naturally in full compliance with anti-Covid-19 legislation. As soon as they arrived, each of them was given a backpack with twenty masks and sanitizing gel inside. In past years, the children had enjoyed sharing various private spaces, but now it was not possible, even if the moments to be together are many. In fact, numerous orientation activities are scheduled, computer science, personal autonomy and theater workshops, cinema, and then excursions to the adventure park in Pratolino and the Acqua Village in Cecina.

“This is an important moment of interaction with peers before school resumes,” says the project coordinator, Elena Ferroni. “These kids suffered during the lockdown period, more than others, because for them the relationship with the teacher is very important. They all have a great desire to go back to class with friends and are now delighted to live a week dedicated to the group and learning.”

“Whoever has problems of sight,” says the president of Uic Toscana, Antonio Quatraro, “is unfortunately used to 'doing without'. Covid-19, unfortunately, affects each of us and in a certain sense calls everyone to order. This, paradoxically, could 'open the eyes' of even those who do not want to see. We are happy to have managed to offer such a beautiful opportunity to these young people, who are giving their utmost to give their best in every activity, even in this difficult year.”

“We believe it's very important,” says the Director of the CR Firenze Foundation Gabriele Gori, “to support an initiative like this, and we designed and launched the 'Summer Together' call precisely to encourage these forms of aggregation and socialization. The Foundation cares very much for those living in a condition of disability and is always available whenever collaboration is requested to implement programs that aim to make them feel fully integrated into the community.”

Source: Toscana Oggi

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