Poverty emergency in Italy: Ghella supports the Sant’Egidio Community
05-30-2024
We aim to be guarantors of acts of responsibility towards others with the purpose of leaving a better world for future generations. With this in mind, we have confirmed our support to the Sant’Egidio Community, a Christian community founded in Rome in 1968 that has now become a network operating in over 70 countries worldwide.
Last year, our welfare platform closed with unspent funds, which we decided to donate to the Sant’Egidio Community. Our donation will contribute to efforts to oppose the poverty emergency in Italy.
The 2023 data on poverty in Italy, presented by Istat, are clear: 8.5% of Italian families live below the absolute poverty line, amounting to 5.7 million people, or 9.8% of the population. Particularly concerning is the increase in minors in need, now 1.3 million (14% of the total), who face not only economic difficulties but also educational poverty, with high dropout rates, especially in urban peripheries and southern Italy. Additionally, 8.5 million people live alone, representing 33.3% of households.
However, with the right support, the situation can improve: in 2023, the "Case dell'Amicizia" centers of the Sant’Egidio Community distributed over 250,000 food packages and 320,000 meals. We are proud to contribute to these initiatives and to support those who work every day to create a more just and caring society.