I am Barbara, I am 46 years old, I was born in Latina but I have lived and worked in Rome for many years.I remember the first meeting with “Casa Scalabrini,” it was May 2015 and with a group of people we were going to deliver a collection of hygiene products. The House, which was welcoming its first guests, would be inaugurated shortly thereafter, at the end of June, and would be named Scalabrini House 634. I had never heard of the Scalabrinians and had recently lived in the neighborhood where, however, the elderly knew the place, the large house with the beautiful garden, as the old seminary of the Scalabrini Fathers. In a short time the guests increased and there were also a couple of families of African origin. We got to know the operators and attending the house together began to think about what our contribution as volunteers could be. The group of people who were now friends were and are experts in financial education and by volunteerism were already involved in immigrant and refugee integration pathways with the Migrants and Banks Association. As sewing machines were arriving as a donation , it was decided to structure a tailoring shop where volunteers who were experts in sewing began teaching the rudiments of the trade to young guests or migrants from outside. In several cases the students, both men and women, already knew how to sew, so it was a matter of honing the art and participating in projects such as making clothes for the local theater company “I Rampognatori” and many others. In addition, there have been crochet, knitting and creative recycling classes open to the local area over the years.

Thus several formative seasons were held aimed at men and women who, with their bringings of experience, skills, desires and aspiration, were trying to weave together threads of integration with new ideas for their future in our country.

I had no skills in sewing but I was dedicated to hosting, partly organizing and accompanying the students. Intense years passed for me with many afternoons spent together with sewing, and then parties and dinners, as well as participation in house activities, meetings, training courses outings. I soon realized that the house offered not only training, counters, “institutional” activities but had become for so many people, guests, people passing through and volunteers a real “Home,” a family in which they felt welcomed with their humanity and talents. This was also the case for me who, each time, even after periods of estrangement, I always found upon my arrival a hug and lots of talk before diving into new paths, ideas and proposals. At Casa Scalabrini I met so many stories of travel and migration projects and it was nice to share the satisfactions, small joys and achievements in the paths of friends, often also memories of one’s own country through music, food and traditions with an inevitable pinch of nostalgia. The moments I remember most vividly are the departures of the families with whom so much had been shared, not least because of the presence of wonderful children now almost men and women. Seeing them leave the house caused a certain sadness but also many other emotions such as joy at having achieved autonomy and satisfaction… even today when they return for a visit it is a great celebration! To Casa Scalabrini, which is preparing to celebrate its 10th anniversary next year, I wish that it will continue to be a welcoming home for all, and to ASCS, the large family of which it is a part, I wish that it will continue its work on behalf of all people traveling the world with ever greater enthusiasm. Moving is everyone’s right, and doing so in the most dignified and humane way possible is something that a just and respectful society should be able to guarantee.