The journey of Ibrahim, Lamine, and the “family company.”

When we began selecting beneficiaries for the project “The Routes of Taste” (Le rotte del gusto), our attention turned to five unaccompanied foreign minors. This is the story of Ibrahim and Lamine, along with their mentors.

Both were not very proficient in Italian but were eager to participate in the project, recognizing it as an opportunity to change their lives in the host country. They started their new life in Portici by moving into a new apartment, enrolling in Italian classes to improve their language skills, and beginning their journey in the family ice cream factory.

The cheerful Ibrahim was open to learning everything, while the shy Lamine progressed more slowly but diligently completed the tasks required to prepare for the job market and his new life in Portici. After a year of internships under the guidance of two mentors, both secured indefinite job contracts.

During this time, the owner designated his wife as a mentor, and she quickly became the favorite of the two boys. Thanks to her support, Ibrahim and Lamine improved their Italian significantly in just a few months (Ibrahim often remarked, “Diana talks a lot, and she is nice.”). They learned to decorate ice cakes through hands-on experience, operated new ice cream machinery, developed teamwork and communication skills, and familiarized themselves with Italian laws regarding their residency permits.

Now, almost five years have passed since the boys started working there. What has changed since then? Five years ago, communication with the boss involved constant phone calls and meetings, and there was frequent dialogue with the boys. Language barriers were a significant challenge in their daily work life, but it was evident that the family company was prepared to host the two “foreigners.” Despite the language differences, they managed to integrate without disrupting either Ibrahim and Lamine or the daily production.

The collaboration between the social sector and private companies has thrived due to the willingness of both parties to succeed. The ice cream family factory was ready.

Today, Lamine is married and working on bringing his wife to Italy, while Ibrahim recently obtained his driver’s license and celebrated this new milestone with us!

…And if you find yourself in Portici (Napoli), don’t forget to grab some ice cream at Gelateria Gallo!

*This is a story shared by Arciragazzi Portici, an Italian NGO and leader of the SIDE project.

Through the SIDE Erasmus+ project, under which 6 in total NGOs from Greece, Italy and Spain work together,

we are going to develop a Training Guide for the holistic approach of labor market inclusion of youth. Stay tuned!