A Week Full of Joy, Community, and Lived Compassion.

For the fifth time, the association World Doctors Italy organized a summercamp in Attat, Ethiopia, in collaboration with the Diocese of Emdibir. Three dedicated young volunteers from South Tyrol – Valentina, Julia, and Christian – set off to join local Ethiopian team leaders and helpers in creating two unforgettable weeks for around 140 children aged 8 to 14.

Play, fun, and sports were at the heart of the camp: football, volleyball, basketball, as well as singing, dancing, and creative games brought countless joyful moments. The children were divided into three groups and competed in friendly contests – always guided by the camp’s central theme: “Family of Love.” This message of love, friendship, and fairness ran throughout the entire program. The goal was to impart values to the children that they could carry with them beyond the camp and into their daily lives.

Saying goodbye was difficult for everyone. After an intense week full of shared experiences, there were tears – but the shining eyes of the children, the many heartfelt hugs, and the palpable sense of togetherness gave everyone involved strength and motivation. For the children, it was a week full of joy; for the volunteers, a life-changing experience they will never forget. A heartfelt thank-you goes to all the generous supporters in South Tyrol for their invaluable help.

Thanks to the close collaboration with local team leaders from various parishes and committed volunteers from Gubrie University, sustainability became a particularly successful aspect of the summercamp. In their home parishes, new small summercamps are now being organized. The games, methods, and the message of “Family of Love” live on – passed on by the children, for the children.

With projects like this, World Doctors Italy continues to dedicate heart and effort to international solidarity and humanity – building bridges between cultures, founded on mutual respect and genuine compassion.