Inspired by the rather more celebrated Girls of Paris, this photographic essay is part of a four-volume work that includes Girls of London, Girls of Paris and Girls of Moscow, published in London and sold at Photographers’ Gallery since November 2010.
Each volume opens with a selection of short stories by young women writers, accompanied by photographs of one hundred girls immortalised as witnesses of a city in continual flux.
The C.R.I. Pioneers are the young members of the Italian Red Cross who identify with the ideals of the movement, and who follow the principle “Educate to Participate, Participate to Work, Work to Improve”.
They can join the association starting from the age of 14 and are dedicated to:
- community volunteer work for social needs
- intervene to help and sustain the weakest and neediest
- spread the values of friendship and collaboration both nationally and internationally
- spread the values of the Red Cross
Notably, the Pioneers of the Lainate Committee have been formed recently, only 3 years ago, and have been successful in building and attracting the attention of many young people: in fact, today there are more than 30 volunteers who work with passion and dedication in the activities for the youngest (birthday parties, cooperation with groups for the disabled, helping the under aged, and working in the pediatric centers of the hospitals): of these, one particularly important role is their weekly presence in the Pediatric Department of Rho Hospital, during which the volunteers help to entertain the children. Their activities are not just fun, but take on a more important therapeutic and symbolic role as well.
Therapeutic because the games serve as a creative and recreational moment for the children, in order to help them overcome their passivity caused by illness and their environment, and to help them reestablish some balance in their everyday lives and development.
Also the types of symbolic games are important: some of them, for example playing ‘doctor’, help the children to face and confront the anxiety, the anger and the frustrations of their current lives. The children, forced to try to express the painful emotions and feelings which often they have no way of dominating or assimilating, become capable of controlling them by continuously repeating in a simulated form, those situations which they try and live with everyday.
The realization of the exhibit is due thanks to the main sponsorship by the Community of Lainate and rendered possible thanks to the collaboration and professionalism of the photographer Fabio Ledi, of Giovanna Cribiù and to the dedication of the sponsors: ILAS, RITMO SHOES, IMMOBILRE, and VIEMMEDIGITALE.