Continue, now more than ever!
We courageously keep going on. Development assistance gets more important as more bad news reach us from the world: crises, wars and diseases must not weaken our enthusiasm. "The world remains an insecure place. We must give ourselves hope. This is our message, especially to young people,' said Toni Pizzecco, president of the South Tyrolean Doctors for the World Association, at last Thursday's members' meeting.
In 2023, World Doctors supported 30 projects in 12 countries. 19 members took part in voluntary assignments abroad. South Tyrolean citizens have supported the association: 66.45 per cent of the income comes from donations, 17.41 per cent from public contributions, 9.46 per cent from the 5 per mille fund, 0.24 per cent from membership fees, 5.45 per cent from collateral activities and concert proceeds and 0.99 per cent from others.
For World Doctors Italy, has always been investing in medicine, education and water projects. The pilot project “Loving Home” was launched in 2023.
People in three dioceses in Ethiopia are being educated about illegal and legal migration. The network of the Catholic Church extends into schools, church services and women's groups. Wherever people come together, the risk of migration is made an issue. At the same time, World Doctors offer people perspectives for staying. Courses for young people: Where are there earning opportunities? How do I write a simple business plan? Where can I get financial start-up support? Development work is successful when people feel that they can build a life for themselves at home.
For 24 years, World Doctors Italy have been working according to the motto: projects follow people.
In figures, the organisation has built seven schools for 7,000 children and young people in Ethiopia alone. 124 wells provide 58,000 people with drinking water every day. Every month, 360 widows and single women in Afghanistan receive money to support them and their children. Five homes in India protect 400 street children. And the Attat Hospital in Ethiopia and the Dhulikhel Hospital in Nepal, the two main projects of the association, give medical help to the patients in a catchment area of almost four million people.
Every year, when there is a general meeting, a large family comes together. This year, young female doctors and students also had their say. "The nice thing was that in their reports, they all talked about people, not about projects," says Gabriele Janssen Pizzecco, the association's managing director, happily.
People who help are rewarded. The Helping Hands award, which is given annually, this year goes to Giuseppe Zappini. Since his retirement, the electrician has spent more time in Ethiopia than in Italy. As a craftsman, he has become indispensable for the Attat Hospital and the projects of the Emdibir diocese. "He helps wherever there are problems," says project manager Monika Gross, paying tribute to the award winner.
Word of this good example is spreading in South Tyrol among youth organisations, schools, companies and associations. In 2023, many campaigns were launched, the proceeds of which benefited World Doctors projects. In 2023, Westbound, the band led by Toni Pizzecco, gave eight concerts attended by 15,000 people. They are all the resonance chamber that development work needs.