Clean beaches with the patients of the Alda Merini Center in Manfredonia
The Nemo project arrives on the Siponto coast for an environmentally based social inclusion initiative, starring people suffering from mental distress
Bottles, plastic boxes and tubes, cigarette packets, envelopes and even flip-flops. The patients of the Alda Merini Psychosocial Rehabilitation Day Center collected this and much other waste on the beach near the Manfredonia Castle, engaged in a day of environmental volunteering, organized by“NEMO (Nature and Education for new participatory models): the educating community of Borgo Bambino”project selected bySocial Enterprise With Children as part of the Fund to combat child educational poverty.
“Initiatives like this demonstrate how mental health can be a great resource for the entire community, declares Michele Grossi, Director of the Mental Health Center – ‘Alda Merini’ Center in Manfredonia. Patients who have residual capacities, after having undergone a psychosocial rehabilitation process, can make them available to everyone, thus launching a double message that sees sustainability and inclusiveness as the crucial elements for the future of society”.
The beach cleaning day is part of the environmental volunteering days planned by the NEMO project and managed by the Psychè Association, which deals with the reintegration of people suffering from mental distress into the social and working fabric.
“In the group of people who have experienced mental illness first-hand – he says Vittoria Del Grosso, Coordinator of the Day Center-Psychè Association– there are also Amelia, Adriano, Marcello and Matteo who, gloves and rake in hand, cleaned up the beach, giving a virtuous example to many citizens, encouraging them to have greater respect for the Earth, our most precious asset”.
“With the Nemo Project – he concludes Barbara Torraco, President of Patto Consulting, a social enterprise, leader of the project – we intend to give the right attention and dignity to fragile subjects who have a complicated experience behind them. Behind the simple cleaning of a beach, lies the great commitment and professionalism of those who deal with these people on a daily basis, accompanying them on the path to social healing.”.
