Romana

Transfrontera Project: In Support of Immigrant Women (Seville, Spain)

Proyecto Transfrontera is a social and educational initiative that began in Seville in 2011 with the aim of supporting immigrant women, many of whom work in domestic services and have few resources or support networks. It arose from the personal experience of the woman who began this initiative, through her direct contact with women in this situation who made her aware of their most pressing needs: learning Spanish, personal support, and social and cultural integration.

The core of the project is Spanish classes. These are taught by volunteers on weekends, when the women tend to be more available. Over time, Transfrontera has expanded its offerings to include practical and educational workshops such as cooking, sewing, crafts, specific courses on home care for the elderly, and cultural activities such as museum visits, excursions, and participation in local festivals. This facilitates integration and access to the labor market and promotes coexistence with people of different nationalities, cultures, and religions.

A key element of the project is human accompaniment: creating a space of trust in which to share experiences and establish bonds of friendship. Each year, between 50 and 60 women from some 13 nationalities take part.

In addition, for those who wish, the project also offers Christian and spiritual formation activities, workshops and pilgrimages, with respect for the religious diversity of the participants.

“Hands that Care”: Serving Caregivers of Dependent Persons (Santiago, Chile)

Many social initiatives seek to assist those facing illness or dependency, but few focus on those who support them day after day: the caregivers themselves. Vicente Larraín, an engineering student, is one of the organizers of Manos que Cuidan, a social project that was born in Chile in response to this often invisible reality.

The idea took shape in August 2024, when a group of students from the Alborada University Residence in Santiago decided to participate in the UNIV University Congress with a proposal for social impact. After several meetings with foundations such as Teletón and Las Rosas, which enthusiastically welcomed the proposal and pledged their support, a pilot plan was implemented in the community of Cajón (Temuco) and later extended to the Vilcún district, one of the most vulnerable in the country, where a strategic collaboration was established with the Abrazo Solidario group.

With this pilot plan, developed in January 2025, it was possible to provide support to over 20 families, including both caregivers and care recipients. Based on this experience, a new stage of the project was designed: three clinical and educational activities, carried out in March, April, and May, which benefited 30 families with members in situations of severe dependency.

Each activity involved an interdisciplinary team of nursing, kinesiology, and occupational therapy professionals, and other specialties. In April, the project promoters also received the generous collaboration of Dr. Alejandro Ceriani, an internist and geriatrician, who provided specialized care to people over 60 years of age. Also in April Manos que Cuidan was presented at the UNIV Forum international congress in Rome, where it won first prize.

The project, which is currently in the planning stage to ensure its long-term sustainability, is structured in two main phases. In the first phase, which focuses on diagnosis and human support, a group of volunteers visits rural areas to learn about the real situation of caregivers and their families, discuss their needs, listen to their life stories, and offer a space for personal and spiritual dialogue. In the second stage, with professional intervention, monthly activities are carried out, coordinated by the Las Rosas Foundation, with a team of specialists visiting the target families. Psychological support and training in care techniques are provided to caregivers, thus improving their well-being and that of their loved ones.

Pilgrims of Hope: A Day for Priests on the Occasion of the Jubilee (Valladolid, Spain)

On November 27, more than eighty priests gathered at the El Rincón conference center (Valladolid, Spain) to celebrate a day for priests on the occasion of the jubilee of hope.

The meeting began with a presentation by Enrique Molina, a moral theologian, who emphasized that hope sustains the Church at a time like this, when the jubilee arrives in a time of “dark nights” and painful situations. Hence the day for priests at El Rincón was an invitation to renew hope and joy in the priestly ministry, in times marked by uncertainty and loneliness.

Juan Luis Lorda, who holds a doctorate in theology and is a professor at the University of Navarra, urged in his address to leave behind the “excessive awareness of evil” and recover a positive and confident outlook. He recalled that hope is born of God’s grace, and encouraged those present to see the world “through the eyes of heaven” and to exercise a simple, humble, and caring priesthood. On his part, Jesús Fernández Lubiano, vicar general of the diocese of Valladolid, spoke about kindness as an essential trait of the pastor. He said that the true strength of the priest lies in his ability to console and open paths, and he defended a pastoral ministry born of tenderness and close accompaniment, not strategy.

The day ended with a call to hope and charity during the jubilee year. Those present were reminded how greatly the world needs priests who are “pilgrims of hope.”

Kalinangan Youth Foundation: When the Earth Trembles (Cebu, Philippines)

On September 30, an earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale struck Cebu. At least 79 people were killed. A Manila-based foundation, Kalinangan Youth Foundation (KALFI), whose mission is the formation and human development of young women inspired by the teachings of St. Josemaría, immediately sprang into action to provide financial assistance for relief efforts and, through volunteers from the foundation, to lend a hand to the people in that area.

The volunteers’ trip to Cebu was a twelve-hour adventure. “It wasn’t really a trip,” said one of the women movingly, “but a pilgrimage of love, sorrow, and faith.”

The scene the young women encountered was devastating. They had to distribute water, tents, and plastic sheeting. They prepared and served meals for a thousand people, cooking at night so that they could feed so many people the next morning.

The relief mission will continue in the future, mainly on weekends. Some girls involved in KALFI who were unable to travel to Cebu found other ways to help: they collected donations, packed food, and personally purchased necessary goods. Help was also obtained from several benefactors, including a supplier of folding beds who offered these at a low price, and a rental company that made its trucks and vans available to the team of volunteers free of charge.

Elis Center: Social Inclusion for Growth: A Project for Assisting Prisoners (Rome)

Includere per Crescere is an initiative of the ELIS Center that aims to make social inclusion a driver of growth for the economy and society.

Vulnerable people and those with specific needs, including prisoners, are not a burden, according to Giada Susca, head of social innovation at Elis Open Innovation. Those who think that prisoners are a burden on the state may be unaware that they have to pay around €150 per month. This, in many cases, means that when they leave prison, if they are unable to find a job, they face a debt that will easily lead them to commit new crimes in order to pay it off. Since 2024, however, the Inclusion Mindset program has encouraged companies to become aware of the importance of helping prisoners and vulnerable people fulfill their dreams. As a result, several companies have begun to invest in the professional training of the prison population and their integration into the labor market.

Naturally, the project is, above all, a direct aid to the prisoners themselves. The example of Antonella, who has been in prison for ten years, is quite inspiring. Thanks to her daily work as a telephone operator in a call center set up inside the prison, she has regained her eagerness to live and can now help her sick mother.

Spes Program at the Brafa Sports School: Sports and Hope for the Invisible (Barcelona, Spain)

The Brafa Sports School has launched the Spes program to help vulnerable people (sometimes called “the invisible ones”) regain their dignity and social visibility. Through free soccer games, mentoring, and workshops, participants find a safe space to interact with and learn to trust others, and develop personally.

Stories such as that of Rubén, who went from living in a tent to saving up for a coaching course, or Rüdiger and Issa Fofana, refugees who now live in reception centers, are proof of the program’s impact. Mamary, who after living on the street got a job and now volunteers, is another example of how Spes transforms lives.

With the collaboration of more than 20 third sector organizations, Spes not only promotes sports and socialization, but also accompanies participants in regularizing their legal status, thus offering a real path to social integration and hope, which is precisely what its name means.

Club La Viña: An Initiative for Flourishing in Adulthood (Guadalajara, Mexico)

Club La Viña, an educational initiative for retired men, has begun its activities in the Guadalajara metropolitan area. It seeks to respond to the challenges of this final stage of life, such as isolation and loss of social recognition. The project was born after research conducted with people between the ages of 60 and 85 revealed not only these needs, but also a marked willingness to remain active, serve others, and cultivate a deep spiritual life.

The Club’s activities formally began on Saturday, July 12, with an inaugural day at a center of the Work. Since then, monthly meetings have been held, consolidating the project around three pillars: friendship, flourishing, and service. The December meeting was particularly noteworthy, as wives also came for the Christmas celebration, reinforcing the sense of family that characterizes this endeavor.

Each day follows a structure that harmonizes the spiritual, formative, and social dimensions of the older men’s lives. The day begins at 8:30 a.m. with the celebration of Holy Mass, followed by breakfast. Afterwards, the men participate in conferences on current events and history, engage in physical activities adapted to their age, and attend practical workshops. The day concludes with refreshments, a time to share experiences and strengthen bonds of friendship. The response has been very positive and has inspired the participants themselves to invite their friends and acquaintances to join this new community.