From grief
to hope.
18 September 2009
Anna was only two years old when she left us.
Anna was only two years old when she left us, drowning in a swimming pool. Five minutes of distraction were enough, and an ambulance that never came. What remains to us is the great fortune of having had her, the distinct feeling that in her own way she is still here with us, and the certainty that one day we will hold her again.
Faced with the tragedy of a small child's death you are struck dumb, then you get angry, then you collapse. It becomes humanly impossible to make sense of it. You look inside yourself, but you find no answers, and what once seemed important and reasonable now becomes useless ballast.
After the despair and the pain that take you to the very bottom, you understand that the only thing death makes room for is affection, selflessness, friendship, love for others: things we usually keep at arm's length, from the heights of a self-sufficient attitude. And yet something happened, and now in India there is an orphanage dedicated to her.
“The death of our little Anna had the power to stir people's souls, to set genuine actions and behaviour in motion, to rekindle old relationships that seemed lost, to touch people's hearts and bring them all together to work for something important and beautiful and meaningful. Anyone who wishes to climb aboard this adventure with us is welcome… we promise no comfort, but together we will keep Anna's memory alive, we will give meaning to her leaving, and we will widen the horizons of our own lives.”
— Valeria, Anna's mother
25+
girls taken in
orfane, abbandonate o in difficoltà
2011
year founded
Anna4Children ETS
100%
of funds to children
zero middlemen
How we got here.
2009
Losing Anna
On 18 September 2009 Anna, aged two, drowns in a swimming pool in Dubai. A few minutes of distraction and an ambulance that arrives too late are all it takes.
2011
Founding of Anna4Children ETS
A group of former classmates of Pierluigi, Anna's father, from the Morosini Naval College in Venice (class of 1983-1986) springs into action. With Giulio Simoni as the soul of the project, Anna4Children ETS is founded to give a name and a future to children in need.
2012
India
Giulio, a former Morosini student and founding member, often travels to India for work. During his trips he sees first-hand the reality of abandoned children. He decides to buy a plot of land in the village of Pethanaickenpalayam, in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, and to build an orphanage there.
2013–2016
Building “Anna's House”
With the help of the whole group and thanks to some generous early donations, the house is built.
The first necessities and the needs of the area's abandoned children start to become clear, and the project begins to take shape.
Many fundraising events are organised, and the volunteers' trips begin: every year they go to check that everything is running as well as possible and that the funds raised and sent are used correctly.
2018
The Salesian Sisters take charge of the orphanage
Day-to-day management is entrusted to the Salesian Sisters of Chennai. First Sister Shanti and then Sister Nirmala ensure the smooth running of the home, educational continuity and roots in the local community. The orphanage takes in around thirty girls who are full orphans or come from families living in extreme deprivation.
2022
The annual event “Solo Cose Belle” takes shape: through the collection and careful selection of quality second-hand, new and vintage clothing, it gives participants the chance to choose fashionable garments in perfect condition in exchange for a minimum donation. The event draws great interest, participation and solidarity around the Association.
2023
Expansion and new projects
Four new rooms are added on the second floor of the building.
The girls who grew up in the orphanage are supported by Anna4children even after they come of age, and they begin to graduate and find work.
Anna4Children also begins supporting some Salesian projects in Madagascar, always focused on children.
2025
Anna4children goes into schools
Since 2025 we have been supporting school projects in the areas where our volunteers live, in particular projects for girls and boys with certified disabilities.
2026
…and the adventure continues
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