Foundations4Africa

A unique foundations’ partnership to foster development in Africa

Foundations4Africa has been a program jointly backed by Compagnia di San Paolo, Fondazione Cariparma, Fondazione Cariplo and Fondazione Monte dei Paschi di Siena, and marked the first time four Italian banking foundations jointly committed to a common initiative. The four foundations allocated in aggregate 11.1 million euros for the first 3 years of this program.

Foundations4Africa featured two interventions, one in Northern Uganda and one in Senegal. The two interventions were implemented locally by Italian organizations with a long track record in international assistance and humanitarian relief.  The organizations implementing the intervention in Senegal worked in close collaboration with associations of Senegalese migrants.  

The intervention in Northern Uganda was geared to support the return of internally displaced people (IDP) from IDP camps to their home villages or their resettlement to other areas, promote peace in the districts of Gulu, Amuru, Kitgum and Pader and foster sustainable development.

The intervention in Senegal was aimed at improving the economic and social conditions of people living in rural areas or outer urban belts in Senegal. A key feature of this intervention was the involvement, from its very early stages, of associations of Senegalese migrants residing in Italy.

After signing the agreements (one per intervention) regulating the relationship between the Foundations and all project partners in November 2008, the interventions were officially kicked off on October 1, 2008 in Northern Uganda and on November 1, 2008 in Senegal. Monitoring and assessment of the interventions were entrusted to two carefully selected independent organizations, namely Milan’s Punto.sud for the project in Northern Uganda and Pisa Sant’Anna School for Advanced Studies for the project in Senegal.

Honoring their philanthropic mission, the Foundations backing the initiative catalyzed the commitment of numerous organizations and institutions, and provided not only financial resources but also their project development expertise and wealth of experience accrued over many years.

Italian banking foundations have entered a new season in which they are committed to carrying out directly their own key projects, reaching beyond sheer grant-making, as this program too testifies.