Giulio is 3 years old and lives in Tor Bella Monaca, one of the most difficult neighborhoods in Rome, with his mother and older sister. A few months ago he met the nuns and educators of “Il Germoglio”, one of the day centers where the educators of the socio-educational project supported by the Foundation work.
Every afternoon Giulio goes to the center where he does many little chores and plays games with other children. When he arrived, his intelligence and physicality did not go unnoticed, making him seem older than his age.
It was difficult to relate to Giulio the first few weeks because he often had angry outbursts. Even if the educators explained to him that there was no reason to get angry, he was never peaceful.
One day he teased a playmate and for this he was reprimanded and warned that if he did not respect the other children he would receive punishment. It was the first time that Giulio had received such a strong reprimand and he did not expect it. He reacted by closing himself off in a long silence and isolated himself for several days.
The educators immediately understood that Giulio's unusual behavior hid a fear. With patience and love they tried to understand its origin until they discovered that the little one was terrified of the idea that someone "used the tambourine", which in his language means being beaten.
It took a while to make him understand that no one there would harm him and indeed that the children who attend "Il Germoglio" while having fun with others receive a toy as a gift. "Then I want a slide," he replied.
Now Giulio attends the center and is much more calm. He knows that he is safe there and for a few hours he forgets the difficult climate that exists at his home. And he hopes to get the slide soon, because he is doing his best to behave well with his teammates.
How to help the children of Tor Bella Monaca grow more serene
There are many children like Giulio who live in conditions of extreme social hardship in Tor Bella Monaca . Thanks to you and your help, they can realize the concrete possibility of having a better future, made of trust, serenity and light-heartedness.
Every little gesture is a precious resource, thank you from the heart.
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