My name is Okasha, I was born in Ghana where I lived with my 2 sisters and 8 brothers. Unfortunately, in my country there still is some serious tension between the different ethnic groups, in particular between the gonja (to which I belong) and the konkomba, which often leads to armed conflicts.

In 2017, therefore, I left Ghana and everything I knew to start a long journey to Europe, in search of safety and of a better future.

Once I arrived in Italy, I lived in a refugee center where I heard about the 4aHuman project. At first I was hesitant, I didn’t know what to expect, but then I met a lot of other guys like me who attended their Italian and civic education courses: with a lot of effort, we were able to take the A2 Italian diploma and start our journey in this new country.

In 2019, the Minoprio Foundation selected me, together with my friend Wealth, to attend an agricultural training course. For me it was a real turning point! Thanks to this course I learned a lot: I already had some experience as a farmer in my country, but I had never used the agricultural machines that are so common here.

At the end of the training course, I was offered a job at the Minoprio Foundation: of course, I immediately accepted with enthusiasm!
For me, this is the first step in being able to become independent and work full time to build a better future here in Italy. Thanks, 4aHuman!

My name is Wealth, I come from Nigeria and I am thirty years old, I have been living in Italy for almost 5 years.

I arrived in this country after a long journey in the desert amidst many difficulties, having to face violence and dangers of all kinds.

Once I arrived in Italy, a friend told me about the 4aHuman project: I couldn’t wait to learn Italian to integrate myself in this new country that welcomed me with such generosity, I wanted to find a job and become independent, maybe even be able to support my family in Nigeria!

After attending the Italian and civic education lessons, I had a wonderful surprise: the Minoprio Foundation, one of the largest and most important agricultural schools in Europe, offered me a scholarship to attend an agricolture course, which then turned into a job opportunity within the Foundation itself.

I also had the opportunity to share my story in schools, with the kids, during a week dedicated to immigration. It was very important for me to be able to tell young people about my experiences and explain to them the difficulties I had to face to get to where I am today.

The 4aHuman project gave me a future: I was able to leave the refugee center where I lived and support myself with my strength and with the results of my work. I learned a lot, I am passionate about a profession that, every day, makes me close to this land that has welcomed me – my new home.

My name is Christian, I was born in Nigeria, where I lived with my wife and daughter. I was a businessman: I owned two stores and I led a happy life, until I lost my mother in a terrorist attack. A few weeks later, my wife and daughter were brutally killed by a group of local bandits.

I sold everything I had and bought a one-way plane ticket to Italy: I needed to start over, forget my pain and start over.

I am very grateful to be still alive and to have the opportunity to rebuild my life in this country, which I consider my new home: I have nothing more to ask for, if not to be able to earn a living honestly.
The 4aHuman project has helped me to learn Italian, the most important thing I could do in order to be able to integrate successfully, and to put my work experience to good use, helping me draft my CV and supporting me during my training as a mechanic.

I’ve always enjoyed working with machines, understanding how they work: now it’s my job. After losing everything, it’s wonderful to be able to live an honest, trouble-free life without having to depend on anyone.

My name is Emmanuel, I’m from Nigeria. In my country I was persecuted for political reasons, I risked my life every day. So I decided to flee and reached the Italian coast on a rickety boat after a terrible journey across the desert. My biggest fear, besides drowning during the trip, was crossing Libya, where the risk of being imprisoned and enslaved is constant.

I am a worker, I want to contribute to the growth of this country that has welcomed me: I have a degree in Economics, but I have always been willing to do any job to be able to support myself.

At the moment I live in a refugee center in the province of Brescia, with many other guys like me, but my dream is to become independent and, one day, to have the opportunity to return to Nigeria without risking my life.

My story is truly special: when I arrived in Italy I didn’t know what to do, how to survive, so I was begging for money in front of a well-known restaurant in Milan. After finding out about the 4aHuman project, I learned Italian, prepared my CV and started looking for a job.

Now I work in the kitchen of the very same restaurant in front of which I was begging for money to survive.
I am grateful to this project for believing in me and allowing me to start over.