STAND Club Welcomes Marica Fantauzzi from ARPJTETTO

On February  9th , JCU’s STAND club, in collaboration with the Office of Community Service, welcomed Marica Fantauzzi, free-lance journalist and staff member of ARPJTETTO (Il Tetto) in Rome for a guest lecture.

Cookbook made in collaboration with Chef Lorenzo Leonetti

Cookbook made in collaboration with Chef Lorenzo Leonetti

Founded in 1953, Il Tetto, which means “roof,” mainly works with women, children and young people in disadvantaged conditions. Throughout the years, Il Tetto has evolved to better pursue its mission of being a shelter for those in need, by providing residential care services, training activities, and access to healthcare.

Today, Il Tetto’s main initiatives are the “Tetto Madre-Bambino” shelter, a group home for women who are going through difficult times, and the youth center “Gli Scatenati.” Open 24/7, the “Tetto Madre-Bambino” welcomes women and children who are escaping situations of domestic violence or abuse. These families usually spend from about 12 to 18 months in the shelter, where they receive a variety of services designed to help them become independent, from psychological assistance to help finding employment.

“Gli Scatenati” in Italian literally means “free from chains,” but is used idiomatically to mean “unrestrained.” This day-time center is a place where young people between the ages of 14 and 21 who are undergoing alternative measures to prison can engage in training workshops and educational activities while being free to express themselves artistically and creatively.

Fantauzzi emphasized that many of these young people belong to the Roma community and live in camps on the outskirts of Rome. They often feel isolated and marginalized and have little to no idea about what lies ahead since they have never experienced the privilege of dreaming about their future and potential careers. In the “Gli Scatenati” center, they can earn school equivalency diplomas, and learn skills like woodwork and cooking, which serve as ways for them to find their passions and develop lifelong expertise. They can also play sports such as soccer and boxing or take part in theater performances that are open to the public.

Il Tetto also collaborates with the local community. The “Come tagliare le cipolle senza piangere” (“How to cut onions without crying”) project is a partnership with chef Lorenzo Leonetti, owner of the restaurant Grandma, in Rome. Eight Roma girls participated in a cooking workshop led by the chef, which later led to the creation of a recipe book, featuring the girls’ traditional foods, flavors, and childhood memories. This project served as a way to build a bridge between the Roma community and the Italian community, as well as to help people discover and appreciate the Roma cuisine. Through the help of the association and their services, Fantauzzi hopes that more Roma children will feel more integrated and embraced by Italian society.

(Arianna Zomparelli)