“A whole village is needed to bring up a child”. African proverb

Children who unfairly suffer social injustice and the inadequacy of the adults around them need above all a cohesive network, ample lively support and a whole village in which to live in order to restore their lost sense of security and to accompany them in their journey through life.
A great many family homes and the families living nearby are able to get together for some times of the day or the week, in addition to their commitment to teaching and assisting such children. This practical experience has given rise, in a number of different countries, to actual villages, each with its own identity but all working together to create an extended community.

Chalna, a little village near the city of Khulna, in Bangladesh, there is a Community missionary village enabling children to play freely and in safety in the courtyard.
The village contains 3 family homes and 7 houses of welcome for children and adults in difficulty because they are disabled, orphans or were living in poor family conditions, all in need of a healthy, protected family environment in which to live. There are also some families in need of support for various reasons who have chosen to become part of our village, giving them the opportunity to live independently as a family while receiving our support and company.

The "Villaggio della Gioia" in Forlì, opened in 2009, is also aimed at families. There are currently 3 family homes, with 3 small apartments adjoining them and work is starting on the construction of six new apartments for families in difficulty. The main purpose is to be able to welcome in the entire nuclear family to avoid distancing the children from it and to start up educational courses and give the parents psychological support. These could be one or two-parent families, experiencing a number of different problems, such as poverty, difficult relationships between marriage partners, or lack of education, provided the children are not in risk situations. To make our intervention effective, dialogue with particular experts is combined with moments of sharing and living together with the members of the Community who have chosen to live in the village with their natural children and those regenerated through love.

The "Villaggio della Carità", in San Rocco Castagnaretta (CN) also offers a welcome and support to nuclear families in difficulty and to disadvantaged people and those with slight or medium-severity disabilities, creating a family environment offering mutual support. The village contains 4 family homes and two open families taking care of two independent hostels housing people with slight to medium-severity disabilities able to undertake personalised educational courses with the partnership of the cooperative Il Ramo. Finally there is hostel for young people who want to experience sharing.

Boceda di Mulazzo (MS) is home to the "Villaggio dell’Accoglienza", in which 3 Community family homes have come together to open a reception centre for adults offering a number of occupational therapy workshops producing quality honey products. Working in partnership with the cooperative Il Pungiglione, personal recovery courses have been started up, aimed at social reintegration and vocational training for people welcomed into the village who have had traumatic experiences such as prison or the slavery of prostitution.