This picture shows participants of K_Alma, a new carpentry initiative in Rome. It offers migrants and locals training courses and aims to facilitate integration.
The cooperative was launched earlier this week and aims to allow foreigners and native-born Italians to meet and socialize as a way to facilitate integration and inclusion in the job market. It is managed by the Italian association K_Alma, which offers projects to increase awareness on integrating foreigners into Italian society.
The founder Gabriella Guido wanted to combine the passion for woodworking with her desire to help the integration of foreigners in Italian society. "Human beings emigrate in search of a better life, of putting down roots, settling down, but also to find fertile ground," she said. That's why creating something physical seemed like the right answer, a "place for building one's own self, a place for relating and inclusion in the working world". Rather than to stay in reception centres, migrants should have the opportunity to obtain qualification and try something new, she said. "Being a carpenter isn't just putting in a nail, it's creating, interpreting," she said.
Wood as a way to bring people together
According to Guido, the goal is for the cooperative to fund itself by way of producing and selling items. In addition, K_Alma wants to provide training that will allow participants to obtain a certification of their abilities so they may look for work.
She said the first training course will start on May 4, with three participants thus far: one from Guinea Bissau, one from Senegal, and one from Nigeria.She said that more requests are coming in as well."They're enthusiastic; they feel that they have an opportunity, which few have offered them," she said of the migrants. Guido said that in the future she plans to hold workshops and weekend seminars open to the public, and that she is open to ideas, projects and proposals."Being a carpenter isn't just putting in a nail, it's creating, interpreting," she said.
The first training course will start on May 4 with three participants thus far: one from Guinea Bissau, one from Senegal, and one from Nigeria. "They're enthusiastic; they feel that they have an opportunity, which few have offered them," Guido said. Workshops and weekend seminars open to the public are in the planning.
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