AIW celebrates its first anniversary since being founded by Caroline Caporossi, Jessica Rosval, and Maria Assunta on April 3 2020. For this occasion, we are thrilled to publish our 2020 annual report highlighting our impact in our first year of operation.

Modena, 6 Aprile 2021- AIW was created just before the pandemic hit Italy and Modena hard. Nonetheless, that didn’t stop the willingness to build an association that could be an important support to a city where 75% of the families assisted by Caritas Diocesana Modenese are migrant and single-mother-led households.
Over one year AIW was able to build an association mostly run by women of 5 different nationalities with the mission of providing resources for women to establish roots and flourish; and specifically focusing on the economic integration of Modena's migrant women.
In 2020 with funds donated:
81% of it went directly to programs for migrant women;
14.5 % went to operations;
4.5% was used for fundraising
AIW created and developed the sewing program “Cucire insieme” exactly one year ago which was joined by many migrant women. Thanks to the help of our partnerships (Caritas Modenese and Necchi) and your donations, the women at AIW created 7000 masks through 800 hours of work. Moreover, with each one euro donated for this campaign, AIW could generate € 2.60 in employment to migrant women.
With the support we received, in September 2020, we were able to pilot the start of our culinary training program, which involved women from Ghana and Nigeria providing them with the first 30 hours of training allowing them to express their passion for food. This program will expand in 2021 with the first full training program launching in May 2021, and with the opening of a social restaurant, Roots, later in the year.
By the end of 2020 AIW saw an important international recognition as it was among the finalists of the Youth Leadership and Innovation Award of the United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth. In January, AIW Founder Caroline Caporossi pitched the AIW on the opening day of the Global Forum for Migration and Development and won the award in the category "Skilling Migrants for Employment ."
Over the course of 2020, our funding came from:
38.6% from local business and non-profit collaborations
35.4% from individuals donating to campaigns
19% from grants
7% from other spontaneous individual donations
Our goals and aspirations we have planned for this coming year.
increase the seamstress program by creating local partnerships
creation of “Roots” the culinary program that will help the economic integration of migrant women
launch the AIW’s volunteer leadership and program
expand AIW’s ecosystem of multi-stakeholders
build internal capacity at the AIW to expand programs
keep working locally to change narrative on migration
AIW now looks at the future with a positive and charged attitude as it always did, and with a new year that is perceived as a new beginning, packed with new challenges and ambitions impact-driven goals.
The future will present new challenges and only with diverse perspectives that bridge generation, culture, and differences, will we turn challenges into opportunities for growth. -Caroline Caporossi, Fondatrice
Thanking everyone who made such impacts possible this year, we can’t wait to take new steps with your help and support to create a more inclusive future together.