People come first

You can smell pasta and beans in the air, as well as freshly sharpened pencils and clean cloths. This unusual mixture wafts through this immense former factory space on Via Ferrante in San Giovanni a Teduccio giving it, against all odds, that homely feel. Carmela Manco has lost count of how many so-called ‘grandchildren’ she has, but she remembers each and every one of them individually. She is both a lay nun and a founding member of the Figli in Famiglia Association which she presides over.  She is actually much more than both those titles. She is the neighbourhood grandma, an exemplary member of the community who has never given up hoping or fighting. Her life is dedicated to helping others, no matter how dodgy they may seem. She is the woman who saw potential in this derelict warehouse, saw that it could become an oasis. In both name and deed. A refuge for those in need, where local families could be helped, where children could be brought up and some relief provided to those feeling the weight of their plight.

The Figli in Famiglia Association was founded on 4 March 1993, but the concept came into being much earlier, within the four walls of the ‘ramshackle’ sacristy of a tiny local church hard pushed to accommodate their overstretched congregation. In 1983, Carmela’s fate was sealed when she saw a child eating his snack on the church steps.

The Oasi Figli in Famiglia is at the forefront of neighbourhood support in simply being there like a family. It helps the young people study, it offers tinned food to those who can’t make ends meet or supports job seekers.  Being there for them – just simply being there.  Carmela, the hand holder, is someone everyone can reach out to. She’s there to make tomorrow a little brighter.  Even on bleak days, she’ll be smiling, simply asking for a smile in return.

“Those born in San Giovanni are born unlucky, but they are born with extra oomph. They have a strong desire to emerge, so much so that those who choose to become good often end up turning into little geniuses. I wish this neighbourhood community could keep hoping. Despite everything, our hope never fades, together we can continue to change.”