About Us

November 1989: the Berlin Wall falls. In the following months, a small group of people from Parma carry out two humanitarian expeditions in the disaster-stricken Romania of the post-Ceaușescu era.

It all started with a mail

Autumn 1990, a strange letter arrives in Parma, Italy, with a very messed up address.

It bears a stamp that reads: “CORRESPONDENCIA MAL ENCAMINADA A PANAMA”.

It is clear that this letter passed through Panama to get to Parma. Halfway around the world, because it comes from a small town in Romania, precisely from the orphanage of Gavojdia where the small group of people from Parma had left a business card, picked up by a 12-year-old boy.

This child, very politely, writes with uncertain and confused handwriting:

,,
Dear Sir, the good Lord has helped us to know each other. My name is Cristian and I ask you to come and visit me when you can.
If possible I would like a small radio.

Christian

Since 1991, year after year, the small group of friends grows and instead of spending evenings watching TV and Sundays in the armchair to collect, clean and fix toys.

Why toys?

Because if Uncle McCartney hadn't given Paul a little guitar we wouldn't have had the Beatles.

Because it is from a game, if intelligent and educational, that a passion, an interest, a future profession can be born.

Because games have been important in our lives and can be for many children, for many future men, for those men, now children, on whom our own future will depend.
Maybe to prevent those children from joining the ranks of wretches and delinquents (who twenty years earlier were children that no one cared about, sigh!).

It is therefore from that child in the letter that ended up in Panama, that an angel of a postman had redirected to Parma, that a chain of many links began to unfold, stronger every year, which led to the organization of many trucks of humanitarian aid.

Not only games but also various household goods that in Italy would have fattened the landfill but that, repaired and recycled, made several thousand families happy.

Families who received packages prepared with the scent of affection from distant and unknown friends but linked by human brotherhood.

The "brotherhood between families" takes the place of the pleasurable "twinning between municipalities".

It all started with the preparation of a complete family registry, so as to bring what was actually necessary (clothes of the right size, suitable toys, household goods, etc.).

The preparatory work was always carried out thanks to the support of people who, sacrificing their free time, worked to clean, repair, select.

All this with the idea that "the poor have the right to respect"; each package always had the name of the recipient and not a number (!). We even got to build a house for a large family.

ARomanian NGObecause...

July 2010: the association is founded in Romania. It takes the name of "Il Giocattoli", to remember the motivation that first moved us, and continues to move us.

We are a Romanian NGO, established in Anina in the Caras-Severin district.

We have chosen to establish our association in Anina to have more direct and effective contact with the Romanian authorities, municipality, district, police and local media.

Last but not least, a lower tax on the management of our activities, thus being able to devote to the activities up to the last figure of the donations that reach us. On the other hand, we cannot take advantage of the possibility of being financed with the 5 Per Mille, so the direct and voluntary donation of those who follow us with interest is even more important.

Gianluca and Rosa

They are the founders and represent the soul of the association. Their life is entirely dedicated to carrying out all the tasks necessary for its life.

They are constantly traveling between Parma and Anina, where they live in some rooms of the day center.

They plan, manage relationships with other associations, with local institutions, with the media, with partner companies of the various activities.

And above all they live together with the children, loving them and being loved by them.

It is not for nothing that the day center is named after Don Bosco.