Three migrants, two from Pakistan and one from Nigeria, are looking after a special olive orchard belonging to the Monasterio Foundation in Tuscany. They are also receiving valuable professional training.
The olive orchard of Monasterio in Tuscany has come back to life. For the past few weeks, two 19-year-old Pakistani nationals – Abdur Raheem and Ghafar Admed, and 33-year-old Nigerian – Omolayo Adebowaie have been helping to tend the olive trees.
The three are asylum seekers who are taking part in a pilot project to promote inclusion of migrants in the production of a "zero product miles" extra-virgin olive oil called "Oil of the heart", and to raise funds for health research.
'A wonderful opportunity'
Through the training agency Etruscaform Srl and with cooperation with the farmers' association Coldiretti, the asylum seekers are taking a "Green Maintenance Technician" course, which includes both theoretical and practical components.
At the end of the course, they will take a test to obtain a technical certificate qualification. The Monasterio Foundation will provide them with scholarships that will allow them to continue cultivating the area.
"For us, this is a terrific opportunity; learning a profession is essential to enter the job market in the future," said Abdur, Ghafar and Omolayo.
"The course allows us to strengthen our knowledge of the Italian language and our relationship with nature. Thanks to Monasterio and the Prefecture for believing in us and offering us this important opportunity!," they added.
Training professionals
"The course aims to train professionals capable of setting up and maintaining green areas and preparing land for planting," explained Simone Bertelloni from Etruscaform.
Sara Petrucci, an agronomist and professor teaching the course, added: "The students are engaging in practical activities such as planting, pruning bushes, and caring for olive trees. They also learn to recognize diseases in olive trees and how to treat them with natural products, fully respecting the environment."
The project, formalized last May, stems from the close cooperation between Monasterio and the Prefecture. In addition to selecting participants, the Prefecture has a coordination and monitoring role, while Monasterio, with support from local businesses and the Luigi Donato Foundation for Monasterio, helps with transportation and provides tools and safety equipment for those working in the olive orchard.