A Common Home

Migrants and migration: facing such a significant phenomenon, it is difficult both to frame questions and to find adequate answers. Pope Francis tirelessly expresses his opinion on the matter by defining it as a "sign of the times" and one of the major challenges we face. In fact, the great periphery of migration touches many communities of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA), constituting a challenge and a renewed raison d'être for the Sisters and the educating community at large. The Institute launched the project "A common home in the diversity of people" in 2002 with the aim of dedicating specific attention to this emerging social reality by following its development. "It is not merely a matter of going, but of welcoming. Not only that of migrating but also of making room for hospitality*.*"¹

From 2002, in all 95 countries where it is present, FMA's community responses were prompt and varied, but always careful to maintain a holistic approach that takes the person in their entirety. In 2014 the FMA General Chapter XXIII gave even greater impetus to the construction of the "common home," that is, to "broaden the vision and dare prophetic gestures*.*" Welcoming, protecting, promoting and integrating: the four verbs relaunched by Pope Francis as a common response to address migration,² serve as inspiration to the work carried out within the FMA missions.

For the purposes of this article, we limit ourselves to covering the final phase of the whole process of integration and empowerment with the promotion of the migrant person and their inclusion in society. Among the various projects carried out in different geographical areas, we would like to share four significant projects that demonstrate creative responses to the needs of the migrant population in those areas. The Daughters of Mary Help of Christians believe that to guarantee true integration, it is essential to restore dignity to the person and that this process necessarily includes the dimension of work. As John Paul II said: *"*Through work man [...] achieves fulfillment as a human being and indeed, in a sense, becomes 'more a human being.'"³

Middle East

In the Middle East, the work done in the FMA community in Damascus, Syria, is remarkable. The entire region is suffering a severe economic crisis, shaken by persistent bombing and torn by religious persecution, causing many to flee the violence. The first victims of violence are children, young people and women. The women who arrive at the FMA community in Damascus (predominantly Muslim) are often illiterate, dependent on a male figure and have lost everything. Since 2008 the community has organized a tailor-made course with literacy activities so that these women have the tools to earn a living in a dignified way and are able to think about the future. This is a project carried out in collaboration with local institutions and international organizations such as the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC). Every year, 100 women partake in a sewing course for which they earn a diploma and the gift of a sewing machine. In recent years, it has been found that at the end of the course, some women set up their own sewing businesses, others founded a cooperative and still some others sought refuge in other countries. Despite the critical issues in this region, this project has proven to be a model of integration for migrant women due to the high number of people involved and the flourishing of textile activities.

Horn of Africa

In the Horn of Africa, the FMA are immersed in a different and complex migratory situation. In Ethiopia, there are many Eritrean and South Sudanese refugees, the majority of whom are unskilled women looking for a better future for themselves and their families. In South Sudan and Sudan, however, there is a strong presence of internally displaced persons fleeing violence and brutality. The desperation is great, and the sense of insecurity and abandonment makes women, young people and children particularly vulnerable to human traffickers.

In this regard, Pope Francis in Laudato Sì warns against the risks of the culture of relativism which "drives one person to take advantage of another, to treat others as mere objects, imposing forced labor on them or enslaving them to pay their debts."⁴ Aware of the danger experienced by migrant women and children, the FMA collaborate with the Ethiopian Catholic Church, the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI) and other religious congregations to carry out the "Stop Human Trafficking" project. The goal is to combat trafficking by offering alternatives to migrants. Empowerment takes the form of three phases: raising awareness about the risks of travel to Europe, the promotion of vocational training programs and the creation of job opportunities. The project is aimed primarily at the categories most at risk and has so far involved about 3,000 children and 400 young people, giving preference to single mothers. Positive results were found above all in the hospitality, fashion (Ethiopia) and agricultural sectors (South Sudan).

Spain

In Spain, the Institute is very sensitive to the needs of migrant populations and has developed multiple programs that accompany migrants from arrival to integration. The geographical position of the Iberian Peninsula has meant that over the course of several decades, the country has been populated by migrants coming mainly from South America and Africa, making the reality of integration more complex. In the Spanish capital, the FMA community is involved in the "Emprende-Madrid" project, which promotes individual and collective empowerment. The first phase involves a personalized journey focusing on emotions, dreams, the enhancement of oneself and one's role in society. The person is thus accompanied in the process of rediscovering their potential and developing work skills. The second phase involves collective empowerment: organizers promote partnerships with companies so that the business sector realizes the value of migrants and builds bridges between them for their future employment.

So far, the results have been positive; the network of collaborators has expanded including many government institutions, nongovernmental organizations, companies and parishes. In addition, the participants in the project have shown greater autonomy in managing everyday life and have themselves become agents of change in the environment in which they live. More than 81 percent of migrants have found employment, confirming that the social action of integration in the world of work is effective when it considers both the characteristics of the person and the needs of the territory.

Korea

In Seoul, Korea, the FMA community manages the "Didimteo" (place of support) project. The participants are women from different Asian countries who emigrated for work and experienced domestic violence. "Didimteo" aims to accompany migrant women, mostly divorced, in the process of reconstructing their lives, creating a favorable family environment and subsequently being integrated into the world of work.

Liwayway is a Filipino woman who, like many others, entered the center after experiencing domestic violence and going through divorce. The mistreatment she and her two sons suffered created a deep wound and the family atmosphere was characterized by strong distrust of the outside world. For two years, she and the children were welcomed at "Didimteo" and there Liwayway found psychosocial and spiritual support in an environment capable of welcoming her and the children. At the same time, she took part in various specialized courses, later qualifying as a bartender in the hotel industry. This gave her the opportunity not only to find work, but also the motivation to take hold of her life. The determination to face new challenges has also allowed her to open her own coffee shop, buy an apartment and start reconciling with herself and others.

Despite the presence of prejudice and mistrust towards migrants, Liwayway and all the women who participated in the program were able to find employment once they left the center. Furthermore, the results obtained have been recognized by the government, which currently supports its work. Though each project has its strengths and weaknesses overall, they can be considered as success stories. However, in other countries where the Institute is present, it is more difficult to integrate migrants into the social environment. The acquisition of skills is not enough for success in those regions already facing economic crisis and youth unemployment.

The challenges of migration are still many, but the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians have renewed their commitment to building the common home, brick by brick, because *"*If the 'dream' of a peaceful world is shared by all, if the refugees' and migrants' contribution is properly evaluated, then humanity can become more and more a universal family and our earth a true 'common home.'"⁵