By what do we judge the progress of a society? Certainly also by how capable it is of including and integrating the most vulnerable people. In this our country can make progress, if we consider, for example, that it is still difficult for people with disabilities to find a job and become independent. However, we can count on the action of realities such as the Cooperativa Sociale Agricoltura Capodarco, which is committed to including workers with disabilities in social farming activities at its Grottaferrata location. Nature and contact with the earth are the right way to get out of isolation, according to the action of the Cooperative, which for years has been carrying out projects such as horticultural and nursery workshops that together with personalized therapeutic paths help people with disabilities feel useful and part of a group. This is the spirit behind the Risorse Verdi (Green Resources) initiative, which we have chosen to support and thanks to which 12 people with physical or mental disabilities have been able to acquire new skills in the flower and plant sector. The project lives within the spaces of the Viva-Io social laboratory, which for years has been promoting personal, social and occupational growth by working in the green and growing aromatic plants. In a well-equipped greenhouse of about 600sqm, the working group grows aromatic and medicinal plants, tends a small garden with seasonal vegetables, and maintains the green spaces of the Cooperative. The project is divided into a first phase of training on seeds and cultivation techniques, a second phase of training internship with the help of tutors, and a third phase in which 4 of the 12 participants are included in the Agricoltura Capodarco team. There is one of the fruits of this work that we can observe: plants grown in a virtuous and sustainable supply chain, which are sold in the Cooperative's stores in Rome and Grottaferrata but also in the Leroy Merlin stores, with which the Cooperative shares visions and values; but there is also another result, perhaps not immediately visible but even more important: 12 people with disabilities learning, becoming more independent, and forming groups, feeling equal to others. These are the truly sustainable initiatives that create value on the ground, and on which we will always continue to focus. Details Location: Grottaferrata (RM) Association: Cooperativa Sociale Agricoltura Capodarco Beneficiaries: 12 people with physical or mental disabilities Beneficiaries: 100,000 euros Duration: September 2022 - September 2023
