Italy: Community gardens bringing together people from various background
Gardening activities as a mean of integrating people from diverse background into society.
Gardening proves to have many benefits on people’s lives including improving the physical and psychological well-being of an individual.
In northern Italy, we partner with an organisation which helps the professional integration of people with disabilities in the region through various types of activities.
Thanks to the invaluable support and enthusiasm of volunteers from Givaudan Naturex offices in the Milan region, a garden that not only supports the professional integration of people with disabilities but also their personal development, was established.
The garden, which goes by the name “Il Rastrello” (the rake in Italian) started on an empty field. After 4 years of work, it is now equipped with a tool shelter, an irrigation system, a vegetable and fruit yard as well as a henhouse amongst other things.
It is managed, on a rotating, by people suffering from various types of mental disabilities helping around 80 people get access to a professional activity. The freshly harvested products are distributed to the local community and surrounding villages.
Local schools also get to visit the garden as part of pedagogic activities aiming at raising awareness about people suffering from disabilities. Givaudan Naturex volunteers make sure to give a bit of their time by participating in gardening days at “Il Rastrello”. Since 2021, "Il Rastrello" is also welcoming school classes who participate in activities to learn about gardening.
More recently, with our help, Givaudan Naturex volunteers have partnered with a local school to create a garden that encourages the inclusion of children and teenagers from diverse social backgrounds. The garden, which is located inside the school area, was inaugurated in October 2021. School staff, students and Givaudan Naturex volunteers are in charge of its maintenance. Gardening and nutrition activities are organized on a periodic basis where teenagers from different backgrounds (social, cultural etc.) are invited to take part, fostering an environment of exchange.
