Selene Biffi, a bridge of humanity between Italy and Afghanistan

A S. drawn on the palm of the hand, a pass to safety in Italy for twenty Afghans who escaped the advance of the Taliban. A simple symbol, exhibited a few months ago at the Kabul airport thanks to the efforts made for many years since Selene Biffi, an Italian social entrepreneur. Thirty-nine years old, a degree in international economics from Bocconi, a master’s in management of humanitarian operations from Ireland and another in social innovation from Cambridge, but above all a great desire to help others: with this background, in 2009, she arrived for first time in Afghanistan.

The task entrusted to it by the UN was to create a subsidiary for children and young people in rural Afghanistan, on issues such as food security, hygiene, access to drinking water, the mitigation of natural disasters. But, in those months, between Selene and Kabul, the spark immediately took off: overcoming difficulties and even an attack, he perceived that he was in the right country to carry out his social activity, just as her parents taught her who, for about 40 years, have been bringing their good work to India, where they bought a land on which they built a small hospital and a school for the destitute population. Thus, following the experience of volunteering, analyzing the illiteracy rate of over 70%, the young Mezzagese focused on the need to recover and pass on the oral tradition to teach Afghan children to tell stories. By fighting against reticence and bureaucracy, you gave birth to the Qessa Academythe school for storytellers, launched in Kabul in 2013, thanks to the award Rolex Award for Enterpise.

“For seven years, together with well-known actors and poets as teachers, we have preserved the local cultural heritage, but above all we have offered, free of charge, opportunities for progress and work to hundreds of students between the ages of 18 and 25. For the uniqueness of this project “, says Selene,” we have won many prizes, including the Mother Teresa Social Justice Award, we managed to win over the families of many pupils, initially wary, but last year we closed our doors, both because each of my startups respects a certain cyclicality and because of Covid. However, we have always remained in contact with “our” young people who have found employment in humanitarian foundations and radio and television broadcasters ». Among these there are Wakil and Soheila, respectively 27 and 25 years old, evacuated to Italy a few months ago, together with their relatives, thanks to the S list of the one who both define “an example of humanity, a cultured and benevolent woman who has always held an oppressed people by the hand like the Afghan one “. In fact, Selene Biffi helped them in the most difficult moment, when they feared losing every hard-won right who, even though she had to return from Kabul in July not by choice, never stopped from her home in Mezzago. to support them.

“In the days when news and newspapers were flooded with worrying news relating to the advance of the Taliban, I was inundated with messages from people asking me how they could make themselves useful. I also received a lot of requests for help and I immediately activatedwhile the country that I love and that has given me so much was returning to the darkest part of its history, ”she says, proud of the spontaneous network of solidarity.

“Having managed to evacuate these twenty people dear to me to Italy filled my heart with joy. Thanks to the network that has been established, which includes the community of my country but also many people I do not know and are moved by the same charitable spirit, we are satisfying the individual needs of these three Afghan families, currently housed in reception centers between Umbria, Molise and BasilicataShe continues, underlining the direct line with her former students who, wherever they are, find in her an outstretched hand and a friendly ear.

Ear friend is, in fact, the name of one of his initiatives: he received the support of a group of volunteers who speak the English language fairly well and, in recent months, are making their closeness felt to these guys, both to those who are arrived in Italy and to those who remained in Afghanistansending them messages of comfort.