Dear friends and supporters of MOSAICO EUROAFRICANO ONLUS,

After any sort of difficulties and problems, we finally made it! On 27th March His Excellency the President of the Republic of Botswana, together with other Ministers and representatives of the Ministry of Welfare, officially opened our foster home, the “Paolo Zanichelli’s Children’s Home”. They were all satisfied with the condition and the progress of our centre. The famous actress Maria Grazia Cucinotta is the godmother of the foster home. The party was very nice and the President and the Ministers made beautiful, moving speeches; people also danced, sang and ate.

Well, we look after 4 orphaned siblings: they still live with their relatives, but they spend most of the day with us; only the oldest one goes to school. Their mother died of AIDS a few months ago. They are Schau or Lucia, Sam, Anna and Xharo and are 1, 3, 4 and 6 years old respectively. They are Bushmen; they are very cute children, but a bit difficult to deal with, as they miss their mum and are not used to living in a regular milieu.

After a careful selection on the part of Social Workers and Magistrates, other children are joining us one after the other, so that everybody can find his/her feet in the new family. We aim to foster about 20 children. People are seeing to the necessary forms and requirements, but we have had several problems recently because Ghanzi has chosen only children from its own district. A few days before the official opening, the new Chief of the Ministry of Welfare has decided that our Foster Home should be open to all Botswana’s orphans. This means a further loss of time and having to talk to other Social Workers and Magistrates. Only in the Ghanzi District live over 1,300 orphaned children and as many abandoned kids. Beside our structure, the only one in the Ghanzi District, there are only two other settlements in the whole country.

Since we have been the first who have created such a “Foster Home”, we had to work hard together with Ghanzi’s Social Workers to make guidelines which fit this particular structure. The presence of the President of the Republic of Botswana and several Ministers at the opening ceremony had a positive impact. They expressed very favourable opinions about our project, which this country strongly needs. I think they have realized there is no more time to lose and that we have to help one another and cooperate.

The new little bus arrived some days before the official opening. We decided to opt for a brand new bus, because we could not find a second-hand one in proper condition.

I am fine. I miss you all. I am going back to Italy for the wedding of my daughter Manuela in June. In the meantime I give you a warm hug and I send you my best regards.

Love, Cecilia