A charity evening between memories, intense emotions, images of completed projects and a look into the future. The Renato and Armando Grandi Foundation organized the event on May 20 at the Canvetto Luganese, headquarters of the Diamond Foundation.
Member of the CDA, Leandro Sugameli
A dinner shared by about thirty people, friends and collaborators of the Foundation that Armando Grandi had dedicated to the memory of his youngest son, Renato, who died in his early twenties in a traffic accident. The pain of a father transformed into a gesture of love: this was said throughout the evening, presented by President Viviana Grandi, daughter of Armando, who died in October 2024.
Then, images of various works carried out to date were projected on a screen, mostly in Africa: aqueducts in Chad, in the Congo, in Tanzania, a country in which an orphanage has also been built, a school in Burkina Faso, a pediatric and cardiology hospital in Guinea-Bissau… The latter structure was made possible thanks to the supervision and participation of Dr. Giovanni Pedrazzini, cardiologist and consultant physician in general cardiology and interventional cardiology at the Lugano Cardiocenter. At the request of an interviewer, he did not fail to recount the evolution of the hospital, the commitment to train three other pediatricians and the daily effort to restore hope to families living in one of the poorest countries in the world.
The shocking images projected on the screen only confirm the doctor’s story. Crowds of mothers who, day after day, arrive with their sick children, sit quietly next to each other, embracing their emaciated-faced children. They wait patiently for their turn, with concern reflected on their faces and hope in their eyes that, in that place, their children can regain their smiles. Unfortunately, doctors are scarce and the hospital is the only one in the country that operates in decent conditions. The government turns a deaf ear, it is satisfied with knowing that someone is in charge of it in its place. But the needs are multiple: in addition to personnel, instruments, medical supplies, medicines, various devices are needed,… The costs to ensure the operation of the hospital are high and, therefore, given the political passivity, there is no choice but to trust in the good hearts of those who support the Foundation. A task that leads the latter to constantly look for new strategies, as well as new friends. This was expressed very clearly by Alba Pérez Grandi, Armando’s granddaughter and operational director of the Foundation, on her return from a recent visit to the hospital, together with her mother. Alba was very moved, seeing first-hand the immense work that is done at the center despite the shortage of staff. But she was also extremely satisfied with the quality of care, the good hygienic conditions and the energy sustainability of the center, equipped with solar panels.
Member, Prof. Giovanni Pedrazzini
During the evening, the direct testimony of Sasan Palé, a young African who, with the help of Armando Grandi, managed to make a dream come true: to build a school in Ouagadougou so that even the poorest could access education. The school, inaugurated ten years ago with about forty students, today has 650, is considered the best in the area and, with many sacrifices, manages to finance itself.
In short, those who participated were not disappointed, they were able to see where and how the aid entrusted to the Renato and Armando Grandi Foundation has been allocated, and there will undoubtedly be no shortage of those who decide to continue supporting the works that Armando’s great heart created and that his daughter, his granddaughter and the entire Foundation will try to carry out with courage and determination.
The evening also raised some 6,000 francs, a sum that will make a concrete contribution to the continuation of the Foundation’s humanitarian projects.
Article written by Fausta Ferretti, journalist of the weekly magazine L’Informatore.