August 2, 2012
Hoping, of course, that it ( the project ) will start in the shortest possible time and become permanent in the country, we still want to point out that Botswana is not a point of arrival, but, on the contrary, a beginning: the ascertainment of goodness, social utility and feasibility of an idea , a sample project, to be replicated, with success, in countries with similar situations and equally receptive.More answers can be found too by reading the art. 1ofour Rule Book, in which are expressly stated the purposes of our Association. There will certainly be useful reading of our Statute, Mission and Vision. We are of course at your disposal for any further question about it. For the sake of clarity, the pronoun we, in these lines is used, relative to a group of people who have known Santina Gusmini, shared the objectives and purposes of the founders and are a full part of our Association.
March 21, 2013
We realized this website, which we hope is pleasing to our supporters or even just readers. Some parts, deliberately left blank, will be soon accomplished.All about donations, from individuals or companies, was, by choice, not completed, despite our bank account was opened the same day of the foundation.It was (and it is) our belief that it won’t be ethically fair accept donations until: being officially recognized as a non-profit organization and have a project in an advanced stage of approval by the government of the country that will host our first school.
Last week we were informed by the Italian Authorities, the Santina Gusmini Onlus Association has been registered in the Register of No Profit Organizations.All those who make donations, can take advantage of tax benefits provided by Italian law. The foreign donors should refer to their regulations.In recent months we have also had several talks and meetings with diplomats from an African country, which was particularly interested in our project.We had a contact with an Italian University, Faculty of Humanities too, launching a collaborative project, within our mutual independence, which will certainly produce positive results. We’ll give you more information shortly.
April 30, 2013.
January 6, 2014
- We decided to finance ourselves the acquisition of the plot of land where our school will be built. The Government of Botswana replied no to our unique request: the concession for free of the land needed
- we were able (thanks Giulia !!), to get a developer from Bota ( Botswana Training Authority ) to proceed with the drawing up of our educational program. Received, at last, the precise suggestions, we are working in tune with the Ministry of Education
- We are waiting for the formal invitation to realize our project in the country. We hope, this time, to achieve this important goal in a few weeks
- We have modified our Executive Project, in accordance with the instructions received, but keeping intact our independence, the uniqueness of our project and its important social implications
- We have developed a preliminary plan of the buildings to be built in Botswana to realize our school campus, defining spaces, types, buildings needed
- We have suspended the never fully started fundraising. Without a formal invitation, it is unethical to do it. But, incredible to say, anyhow we received the first donations: it is nice to see that there is someone, who believes in us. Thank you friends
- We have established the Executive Board and the first Assembly
- We are proceeding to realize a branch in Switzerland, for members and donors coming from that country
- We have been in contact with new people, new friends, who have encouraged us to continue our project
April 2, 2014
We were close to the goal. After a huge work, carried out with considerable patience from our educational manager, prof. Giulia Boriani, who tirelessly has too many times passed the threshold of the Ministry of Education to meet with different people in order to get our essential formal invitation, today, with great bitterness, we have been informed that, in a Gaborone newspaper, an article speaks explicitly of earthquake at Ministry of Education. In it, that you will find published in the link "news", we are informed that all the leaders of the Ministry of Education have been removed: the Minister Mrs. Pelonomi Venson, the PS Mrs. Grace Muzila and the DPS Mr. David Ratsatsi. These last two were the people who had met prof. Boriani and who promised an answer in a very short time. This situation, with the settlement of new people just a few months from the general elections, is likely to keep us in a position to stall until the end of elections themselves.
It would mean, for a merely formal problem, we have wasted a whole year. We will try to contact the new leaders of the Ministry or other people in charge of different departments, but we are conscious that the difficulties are much increased. We had no special relationship with the previous institutions, but at least knew each other, us and the project. And they were really close to release us the invitation. It 's very difficult to believe that, people just in charge, with an important election looming, assume any responsibility for having endorsed a new initiative. After all, who does nothing never makes mistakes. ...In any case, we will continue, at least for now, with our usual tenacity in pursuing our goal.