Learning to read and do calculations to manage one’s own business, acquiring the skills of a trade, undertaking an internship or finding the support needed to live independently. These are very different experiences, but they all demonstrate how important it can be to have access to the tools and opportunities needed to develop one’s abilities and build a future.
Not everyone, however, starts from the same position. For many young people and women experiencing vulnerability, turning their aspirations into reality requires a journey involving education, work experience and ongoing support, while respecting each person’s needs and pace.
This understanding lies at the heart of The Future Begins with a Possibility, Fondazione Marcegaglia’s Christmas Campaign 2026, which invites people to support education, vocational training, employment opportunities and independence projects in Italy, Rwanda and Pakistan.
Learning: New Skills, New Prospects
In Rwanda, learning a trade can be the first step towards financial independence. This is what happens at the Marcegaglia Vocational Training Centre (M-VTC), the vocational training centre supported by Fondazione Marcegaglia in Bugesera District, where young women and men can acquire skills in various fields, from tailoring and welding to construction and mechanics.
Since the project began in 2022, the centre has trained over 800 young people through programmes designed to meet the needs of the local labour market.
Among them is Rosalie, who chose to study tailoring to turn a long-standing passion into a profession. For her, the greatest satisfaction comes from “being able to take a design I have in my head and make it real“. She is currently undertaking an internship at a company, where she continues to develop her skills.
Her ambition is to own a sewing machine one day and start her own business. She knows that this will take time and resources, and she is prepared to work as an employee, if necessary, to save the money she needs.
In Pakistan, learning takes a different form through Aagahi – Vite Illuminate. The programme, run by The Citizens Foundation, gives women who have not had access to basic education the opportunity to learn to read, write and do calculations, gaining practical knowledge for everyday life. To make participation easier, including in communities where travelling can be difficult, teachers are recruited from within the communities themselves, creating a more accessible and familiar learning environment.
Since its launch in 2004, Aagahi has provided education to 293,000 women, reaching rural communities and areas where access to education for women still faces numerous barriers.
Zarina, one of the participants, makes Rilli, traditional handmade quilts. Before joining the programme, she had to rely on others to manage her business expenses and earnings. Today, she can calculate the cost of materials independently, keep track of payments and communicate with customers with greater confidence.
Zarina now wants to expand her business and share her experience with other women: “I want to keep learning, become increasingly independent and encourage other women to receive an education and further develop their skills.“
Working: Turning Skills into Opportunities
Acquiring new skills is important, but being able to use them in a professional environment is an equally significant step. This is one of the aims of Drittofilo, the social tailoring workshop run by the Mantua Anti-Violence Centre and supported by Fondazione Marcegaglia. The workshop offers women training and employment opportunities as part of broader pathways towards independence.
Here, Satara, aged 24, who arrived from Afghanistan through humanitarian corridors, has found the opportunity to continue pursuing her passion for fashion and design. Through a training internship, she is building on her existing skills and learning new activities, including sales.
For Satara, work means more than financial security: “For me, work means having greater financial independence, feeling useful and having more confidence in my abilities.”
Her goal is to continue developing professionally, achieve greater stability and build an independent life. Drittofilo provides an environment where she can pursue these aspirations, building on the skills and determination she brings with her.
Starting Over: Time and Support to Regain Independence
For a woman who has experienced violence, achieving independence may require ongoing support even after completing a programme at an Anti-Violence Centre. In Casalmaggiore, In Rete per l’Autonomia supports women during this stage through personalised socio-educational assistance and supported semi-independent living arrangements.
As Greta Savazzi, General Coordinator of the MIA Anti-Violence Centre in Casalmaggiore, explains, there is no single solution that works for everyone: “No two journeys are the same: each individual plan must begin with the needs, resources, difficulties and pace of the woman concerned.”
This is the case of Andrea, a pseudonym chosen to protect her identity, who began rebuilding her independence after leaving a situation of domestic abuse.
Together with the support workers, she initially chose to focus on employment, starting an internship that enabled her to acquire new skills and regain confidence in her abilities. The experience subsequently led to a permanent employment contract. Later, thanks to the project, Andrea was able to begin a supported semi-independent living programme, learning to manage her own living space and everyday responsibilities.
For Andrea, having a place of her own is an essential part of this journey. As she explains, it means having “a space that is entirely my own, where I no longer feel controlled, judged or influenced by others”. Her words show why independence is not simply about having a job or a home, but also about being able to make one’s own choices again.
This Christmas, Help Us Turn a Possibility into Reality
The stories of Rosalie, Zarina, Satara and Andrea come from different backgrounds, but they share one essential element: through education, employment or ongoing support, each has been able to access tools and opportunities to pursue her aspirations.
With its Christmas Campaign 2026, Fondazione Marcegaglia invites people to support these journeys by contributing to vocational training activities in Rwanda, women’s literacy programmes in Pakistan, employment training at Drittofilo and support for women’s independence in Casalmaggiore.
The fundraising target is €40,000. Thanks to the Foundation’s funding model, 100% of donations go directly to the projects, while general operating costs are covered by the founders.
Every contribution can help create the conditions for someone to learn, work and build a more independent future.
The future begins with a possibility. This Christmas, help us make it real.