“On the streets, all I thought about was finding my next meal and a safe place to sleep. At Boys’ Towns of Italy, I learned to plan ahead and be part of a community. I learned the skills I needed in life.”
– Tijan
Tijan fled the civil war in Sierra Leone when he was eight years old. At age 12 he entered Italy. 
For four years he lived on the streets of Rome, until he entered Boys’ Towns of Italy.
Boys’ Towns of Italy is a program that empowers refugee and migrant youth.
Boys’ Towns of Italy provides:
- Housing
- Education
- Vocational Training
- Self-Government
At Boys’ and Girls’ Towns of Italy, the young people take responsibility for the program and the community. They elect their peers as mayors, commissioners, and judges, and hold general assemblies to discuss the important decisions of the community.
The young people at Boys’ and Girls’ Towns of Italy have escaped devastating family tragedies, civil wars, and extreme poverty. Over half of the programs’ boys and girls come from eight different African nations.
Boys’ Towns of Italy has served over 30,000 at-risk, orphaned and refugee youth since 1945. Today, over 10,000 people from all walks of life in the U.S., Italy and beyond actively participate in the Boys’ Towns of Italy global community every year.
The active support of donors in the United States provides the crucial independent funding base that sustains this program and allows us to continue helping orphaned, refugee, and at-risk young people grow into empowered adults.
Watch a Slide Show about Boys' Towns of Italy on YouTube
Boys' and Girls' Towns of Italy Homepage
Send Donations to: 250 E 63rd St. Suite 204, New York, NY 10065 or call: (212)980-8770 or give online: Click Here!
