|
Chi siamo
 Our association is an Onlus.
It is registered at: n.1872-Sec.:A) social-of the General Regional
Registry of volunteer services of the Lombardy Region, as per the Law on
Volunteer services 11.8.1991 # 266. City of Como Associations Roll,
branches: Social, Educational and Cultural. City of Lipomo Associations
Roll. Main office (legal): via S. Garovaglio, 19-22100 Como Headquarter:
via Cadorna, 24-22030 Lipomo (CO) Phone and fax: +39-031555472
E-Mail: info@manuelrumi.org
In the city of Como, at the end of 1988, some friends founded a committee
in memory of Manuel, the young man that died in the Sahara desert. The
purpose was to build a well in Africa by using the funds raised though
the first Night Soccer Tournament: “Manuel, for a well in Africa”. On May
13th, 1992, the committee was changed into the “Association Manuel Rumi”.
The spirit behind it is the same one that unifies every volunteer
association. On Saturday, October 28th 2000, during the event
“THANKSGIVING FOR PEACE”- INTERNATIONAL YEAR FOR PEACE AND THANKSGIVING*
in Milan,an event promoted by the U.N.O., in cooperation with the Region
of Lombardy and the City of Milan, and with the High Patronage of the
President of the Republic of Italy.
The Director of the Information Center of the U.N.O. in Italy, Mr.
Staffan de Mistura gave our Association the following acknowledgement on
behalf of the U.N.O.: “With deep appreciation for the dedication and
commitment demonstrated for the process of Peace and Humanitarian Assistance
building, and with the belief that Italy and the United Nations have a
special reason to be proud of and grateful to you”.
We thank all of those that will morally and financially support our
initiatives. We are committed to keep going in the same direction in the
new Millenium, with the same spirit that allowed us to build over 100
wells: the building of life.
The
President
Luigi Cairoli
THE SOLITARY PLANT FROM OUR LOGO
Once upon a time, a little seed blown far, far
away on the wings of a bird found refuge in the ripples of the arid
Sahara desert. Exhausted from its peregrination, it fell into a deep
sleep. When it awoke, it found itself transformed into a little plant
whose glance embraced the infinite vastness of the desert. Only its tiny
shadow kept it company, surrounded as it was by complete
"emptiness" and "absolute silence".
As the years went by, the little plant became a tree. Its highest
branches, which for years could only contemplate the unending motions of
the sun, moon and stars in the heavens, now gaze far away, as far as the
dunes of Tiffernine.
Once in a while, an old hawk lands on it to keep it company. Hawk always
keep the solitary plant informed of the whereabouts of a young man with
dark curls, Manuel. "I am his guardian angel. I keep an eye on him
from the sky and I guide him. Our voyage is almost over. I am too old to
fly. Soon, I will bring Manuel to my home in the Heavens and I will give
him wings so that he may fly freely in the vastness of the celestial
spaces. We will come by to say goodbye before taking to the skies".
One day, Hawk and his young friend reach the solitary plant. "I am
tired", says Hawk to Manuel, "our trip is almost over. Let's
rest for a moment in the shadow of this acacia tree. There are no others
for kilometres". Manuel took a picture of the solitary plant. It was
to be the last photo he took. A silence fell between them for the first
time, as each was deeply contemplating his own thoughts. In front of
them, the golden dunes of Tiffernine.
Then, one August morning, Manuel followed Hawk to the top of a high dune
furrowed by a red dirt road, and from there, he took off on the wings of
Hawk towards the celestial meadows. On top of the dune, next to balise 67
(landmark 67), he left his motorcycle and purple backpack.
Manuel's story and his parents' search for the Solitary plant are told by
his father in the book Manuel il mio tuareg.
Dolores and Mario Rumi roamed the Algerian deserts for three years before
they found it. A few hours after resting in its shadow, the arrived at
balise 67 of the road that crosses the dunes of Tiffernine in Algeria. The
spot where their Manuel left his motorcycle and purple backpack before
flying off towards the celestial fields.
...I learned what every dreaming child needs to know - that no horizon is
so far you cannot get above it or beyond it... (Beryl Markham, West with
the Night)
Algerian deserts: GPS
Balise 67 - 27 36 828 / 006 42 073
Solitary plant: 27 44 661 / 006 23 218
Wells of Manuel: 27 43 570 / 006 21 937
HOW DO WE BUILD A WELL IN AFRICA
What is important to us is the involvement, since the very beginning of
the works, of all the people that will enjoy the immense benefits that
water can give to the territories experiencing severe drought
OPERATIONS
As soon as we get a request for a well construction from our African
referees, our Board of Directors meets to discuss the reason and the
feasibleness of the operation.
We carefully evaluate the reasons of the request; we check who the
beneficiaries of the well will be and the depth of the excavation; the
total cost of the work and of the trip expenses necessary to reach the
location prior to the start of the works.
It is our policy not to make any expense commitment unless we have the
cash funds availability that is necessary to finance the whole
operation.
When we get several requests, we prioritize the one we think is more
necessary according to the lack of water in the area; we evaluate the
distance that the Nomad people have to cover in order to get this precious
resource for themselves and their livestock. We also consider the amount
of people that will be able to utilize this well.
If the cash funds availability allows the expense, we start the operation
right away; otherwise we inform our referee that we'll start the
operation as soon as we'll raise the necessary funds.
It usually takes a period that varies from twelve to fifteen months to
build a well, from negotiation to the end of works.
THE WELLS’ROAD IN SAHARA
“You may ask your camel for milk, may ask your wife for a child,
but only ask God for water”
(Tuareg proverb)
The wells’ road should have started, in our wishes, from
Tiffernine Desert in Algeria. This is where Manuel left his motorbike
next to the “balise 67” to rise to Heaven.
This road has instead become reality in Adrar des Ifhogas Deserts
(Tin-Zautine, North Mali), in Azaward (Arawan, North-West Mali), in the
Vallee de Tazart (Abalak and Ekizmane, Niger’s Sahel) in Air Ténéré
(Tabelot, Assada and Dabaga, North Niger) and in the Ténéré Desert
(Ofagadod), Abou Telfane - Baro - Ciad, Kenia and Tanzania.
We started a sensitization campaign to collect the necessary funds
for the accomplishment of the above operation. It will be our duty to
transform your donations into precious water drops. “Aman, Iman- water is
life”.
PUBLICATIONS
“Manuel il mio Tuareg”, by Mario
Rumi
“L’Eco del silenzio, small stories born within the walls of a
jail”, by Gabriele della Torre & Mario Rumi. Publisher: Gruppo Abele, Turin.
“Azalai: il tempo delle
carovane”, by Miriam Butti & Giosue’ Bolis.
“Regine d’Africa”, by Mario
Rumi.
“Un cammino nel sogno”, by Mario
Rumi.
“Aman, Iman- l’acqua e’ la
vita”, by Alfredo de Felice.
All our publications don’t have a cover price.
Our Association provides distribution.
All proceeds are wholly transferred for the building of wells in
Africa.
For further information, please contact our Headquarter: Phone and
Fax +39- 031555472.
E-mail: info@manuelrumi.org
HOW TO SEND US THE MONEY
By mail : C/C n° 17591223, for Associazione Manuel Rumi Onlus - Lipomo
(Co) Italy
With money sent to the account of the Association C/C 000000002330 -
Deutsche Bank - Filiale di Lipomo(Co): ABI 3104-7 CAB 51430-7 WIN - W -
AMAN IMAN, WATER IS LIFE
(Tuareg proverb)
13.08.2008 - COMPLETED
WELLS N° 111
|
