The innocent eyes and the pickled happiness of the poor children of Tanzania are the emblem of a unique emotion that the young woman Federica Quaquarelli He lived for almost a month between the island of Zanzibar and some neighboring villages. His was a solidarity and intense humanitarian mission, as a volunteer of the association “Orizzonti”, a third sector reality that has been operating in Trani for over 15 years and in the territory of Bat to counter food and health poverty. This time the partnership chaired by the doctor Angelo Guarriello has expanded his boundaries, launching the initiative “Orizzonti for Africa” through a campaign of crowdfunding To raise funds and buy on -site essential non -transportable foods (rice, flour, basic necessities), as well as bringing numerous gifts, such as clothing, school materials, nutritional products for children, health and hygienic items.
The “Orizzonti” members decided to commit themselves to the bottom, intervening firsthand to try to improve the social-health conditions of women and children, through active collaboration with three stable associations in the country of Eastern Africa: Zanzibar Help, Sister Island and friends of Zanzibar. Much of the population of Tanzania still lives in conditions of extreme poverty especially in rural areas. All this has a deeply negative impact on the living conditions of young people, in particular on their right to food. Many of them are malnourished and over 70 percent suffer from anemia. To date, the state is working to improve access to care to as many people as possible. However, the quality of health services remains very low, mainly due to the lack of human resources and inadequate medical infrastructures.
Every year 250 thousand children die for benign diseases, due to the malnutrition that weakens their immune system, also because the health centers are too far from home. As a result, the infant mortality rate is very high, especially among the little ones. Babies represent 29 percent of deaths in children under the age of 5. The main causes of this mortality are, in decreasing order, malaria, anemia, pneumonia, prenatal conditions, diarrhea and AIDS. The “Orizzonti” association has given another testimony of altruism to be alongside the fragile people and help others.
“I lived a unique and incredible experience that made me touch a hard and difficult reality, at the limit of survival,” says Federica. «I was welcomed with a lot of affection by these simple people who often have nothing to eat, especially children and their mothers. An endless drama. Yet in their eyes I glimpsed an almost unaware glimmer of happiness. I visited villages, hospitals, schools and orphanages where everything often takes place in precarious situations. The material we managed to donate during the mission gave some joy and a smile to the population of Zanzibar, Arusha and Moshi. The hugs and kisses of the children excited me a lot, opening the heart to hope. I quickly become one of them. Even now that I talk about it, I get a lump in my throat ».
A new horizon for women and children who live in the most degraded and abandoned areas of Tanzania seems to escape. The generosity and solidarity of the Tranese Association and of those who supported the humanitarian mission, have become a precious asset for those who are forced to face a tribulated existence, without any certainty. “During the Jubilee of the seminarians”, explains the president of the “Orizzonti” association, Angelo Guarriello, “Pope Leo XIV urged those present to be” witnesses of hope “. In secular and religious terms, being witnesses of hope means to go against the current and not to bend to negativity, but continue to be part of the great human family and consequently act for the good. If the others stop donating, we will work to continue doing it better and better ». A second mission is scheduled before Christmas, to bring health material to Tanzania.
(In the photo: Federica Quaquarelli in Tanzania)
