Fraternity in action at Scampia Italy
A Week we Will Carry With us
Seven days. Seven days may seem like such a short amount of time, but sometimes, a week is enough to leave a mark on your heart.
Coming to Scampia, Italy, introduced us to new people, new cultures, and realities very different from our own. At first, the language felt like a barrier, but we quickly discovered that connection does not always need words. A smile, a game, a hug, or simply sitting beside someone can say more than any sentence ever could.
On our first day at Casa Arcobaleno, we, Kelly Ketchedjian and César-Anthony El Alam, began getting to know the children. Their energy, laughter, and innocence made it impossible not to become attached to them. What started as an attempt to give them our time slowly became something much deeper: genuine relationships and moments that we will remember long after leaving Italy.
The visit to the Roma camp on our second day was different. It was difficult to see children growing up surrounded by circumstances they never chose. It made us realize how unfair life can sometimes be, and how many children are forced to carry burdens that should never belong to them. We wished we could have done more. We wished we could have changed their reality, even just a little. But sometimes, all we can offer is a moment of attention, a smile, and the feeling that someone sees them and cares. We can only hope that each of those children finds a path toward a brighter future, one filled with opportunities, love, and hope.
The days that followed in Scampia were filled with laughter, games, activities, learning, and countless little moments that became unforgettable memories. Somewhere between playing with the children and seeing the world through their eyes, we found ourselves reconnecting with our own inner child.
We came to Italy thinking that we were going to give something of ourselves. Instead, we discovered that we had so much to receive. These children taught us about joy, resilience, connection, and the beauty of living in the present moment.
This experience was not simply a week of volunteering. It was a week of growth, reflection, and seeing the world with different eyes. It reminded us that we may not always be able to change someone’s entire life, but we can change a moment in it. And sometimes, a single moment of kindness is enough to plant a seed of hope.
we may be leaving Scampia, but a part of this week — and a part of these children — will stay with us
Cesar-Anthony El Alam
Young Lasallian, Lebanon.
