Maisha Marefu ets
Maisha Marefu E.T.S. (which means “long life” in Swahili) is a non-profit organization based in Arese, near Milan.
The organization was founded in 2009 by Dr. Cristina Cappelletti, dentist and President of the association, together with a group of women who today make up the board of directors.
Maisha Marefu focuses on social-impact objectives aimed at improving the living conditions of highly disadvantaged populations. Its mission is to foster the progress of the communities in which it operates, by promoting access to essential goods and services such as food, water, education, healthcare, and the care of abandoned young children. It also works to promote a culture of environmental responsibility and respect for local territories. Ultimately, its goal is to help create a new generation of young people capable of shaping their own future and that of their communities, becoming self-sufficient and moving beyond dependence on aid and assistance.
Over the years:
- The association began with literacy programs for women in rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa.
- It supported the construction of first-aid health centers managed by local staff in remote areas of Kenya.
- It provided assistance to hundreds of orphaned preschool children by renovating the dilapidated centers where they were previously hosted.
In the last five years, the association has been particularly active in supporting the development of four schools in northern Kenya, an area severely affected by climate change and one of the worst famines of this century, which wiped out 90% of the livestock. These schools host around 2,500 students and their families/communities. In this context, the association has:
- financed the construction of three wells within the schools;
- built classrooms and dormitories for the students;
- introduced crop cultivation with the support of agronomists (also included as a school subject), ensuring a sustainable food source beyond aid;
- purchased an oven for bread-making and built a chicken coop to provide protein-based food.
Over time, the focus of Maisha Marefu has shifted from emergency or food aid to the promotion of projects designed to foster self-sufficiency and sustainability within local communities.
While very active in Kenya, the association also carries out projects in Tanzania and Italy.
Maisha Marefu is funded through donations and fundraising initiatives, in particular through an annual charity dinner, hosted free of charge, which welcomes around 1,000 participants. All proceeds are devoted entirely to supported projects. Additional resources come from Italy’s “5 per mille” tax donation program and from a solidarity market.
The association also seeks to set an ethical example in the use of resources: nothing is spent outside of the projects. Volunteer missions are entirely self-funded, and all materials used in fundraising come from generous sponsors who contribute in the name of a fairer and more supportive world.
Maisha Marefu promotes a culture of solidarity, social responsibility, and respect for human rights, beyond any ideological, political, or religious orientation.
PROJECT PRESENTATION
In Kenya, 35% of children aged 0–5 suffer from malnutrition, resulting in permanent deficits.
This project aims to guarantee a daily portion of porridge at 10 a.m. for all children aged 3–18 enrolled in the schools we support. This meal is essential, providing calories and nutrients that safeguard physical strength, sustain mental energy for adequate school performance, and help reduce school dropout rates.
With just €1, it is possible to buy 1 kg of porridge, enough for 25 servings. Thousands of children are in need of our help. Our goal is to raise €20,000 to ensure continuity throughout an entire school year, so that every child can receive their morning porridge at school every day.
