We are thrilled to formally announce that Support Survivors of African War (SSAW) has been selected to participate in the prestigious A.MI.CO. Training 2026 program.
Organized to empower diaspora organizations operating in Italy, the A.MI.CO. Training initiative provides advanced capacity building in international development cooperation, strategic project management, and sustainable co-development.
For SSAW—an Italian non-governmental organization based in Vigevano—this selection marks a vital milestone. As a diaspora-led organization deeply connected to communities across Africa, participating in A.MI.CO. 2026 will enhance our ability to design scalable, high-impact humanitarian interventions, expand institutional partnerships, and translate community resilience into long-term development solutions.
SSAW’s participation in A.MI.CO. 2026 is anchored in a broader national movement to elevate diaspora organizations as key actors in international development. Central to this ecosystem is the “Draft the Future II” project (Draft Fase II – Diaspora for Development Cooperation: Empowering Diasporas in Italy as Development Actors at Local, National and International Levels).
Executed by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in partnership with the Italian Network of Diasporas for International Cooperation (Coordinamento Italiano delle Diaspore per la Cooperazione Internazionale – CIDCI) and funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) under Italian Law 125/2014, “Draft the Future II” aims to:
- Consolidate Diaspora Representation: Strengthen CIDCI’s national platform representing over 140 diaspora organizations across Italian regions.
- Build Financial & Operational Track Records: Provide targeted capacity building, study grants, and re-granting mechanisms to enable diaspora organizations to execute transnational development projects and register on the official Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) CSOs list.
- Integrate Humanitarian & Development Initiatives: Create emergency funding lines and training pathways on the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus (HDPN).
Bridging Diaspora Engagement and On-the-Ground Emergency Response
Diaspora associations play a unique and irreplaceable role in international cooperation. As highlighted by Mr. Khalid Abaker, Legal Representative and Head of Mission of SSAW—who also serves as Secretary General of the Italian Coordination of Diasporas for International Cooperation (CIDCI) and representative of CooDiAsLo—diaspora groups possess the cultural understanding, local networks, and direct trust needed to respond effectively to complex crises.
This dual capacity was demonstrated during SSAW’s recent exploratory and institutional mission to Chad (July 15–25, 2026). Conducting field operations in N’Djamena and engaging with local partners, SSAW assessed the urgent needs stemming from the ongoing conflict in neighboring Sudan.
“Connecting local realities in Africa with international cooperation standards in Europe is at the heart of SSAW’s mission. A.MI.CO. Training 2026 provides the essential framework to elevate our project design and deliver structured support to those surviving war.”
Field Spotlight: SSAW’s Mission in Chad & Emergency Interventions
Eastern Chad currently faces one of Africa’s most acute humanitarian emergencies, hosting over 875,000 Sudanese refugees and 300,000 Chadian returnees fleeing violence. During the July 2026 mission, SSAW worked closely with local partner Action Sans Frontières (ASF) and established high-level strategic dialogues across N’Djamena:
- Multilateral Partnerships: SSAW met with key leadership at the World Health Organization (WHO), International Organization for Migration (IOM), UNICEF, UN OCHA, and INSO to integrate mental health, psychosocial support (MHPSS), and child protection into emergency frameworks.
- Institutional Recognition: Meetings with Chadian authorities, including the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralization, underscored the national priority of expanding psychosocial care for vulnerable women, children, and elderly refugees.
- Direct Community Support: SSAW provided immediate aid to the APSOA Orphanage in N’Djamena—home to 101 unaccompanied children aged 0–14—donating a commercial refrigeration unit to safely store daily food supplies and essential medicines.
- Delivering Educational Materials to Adré: SSAW delivered educational kits and custom handcrafted musical instruments—crafted by General Caster Federico Castellani and commissioned by PerNia per PiE—to the refugee camp school in Adré (hosting over 200,000 refugees), received directly by SSAW’s field representative M. Alkhateeb Mohammed Alhafiz Abker Issa.
- Support for Unaccompanied Minors in Tiné: SSAW evaluated field data from Caritas Mongo’s emergency feeding intervention in the Tiné transit camp, which served over 250,000 hot meals to refugees, highlighting the urgent need for specialized child protection for the high volume of unaccompanied young refugees arriving at the border.
Deploying Innovation: The Pre-Texts in Emergency (PiE) Protocol
A cornerstone of SSAW’s field strategy is the deployment of Pre-Texts in Emergency (PiE). Developed with scientific guidance from Prof. Pier Luigi Sacco (University of Chieti-Pescara / Meta Lab Harvard) and led on the ground by researcher Dr. Sara Uboldi, PiE uses literature, visual art, and creative expression as non-invasive tools for psychosocial recovery and trauma healing.
Through A.MI.CO. Training 2026, SSAW aims to build structured, multi-sector project models combining the PiE protocol with essential health, food security, and educational aid.
Looking Ahead: A.MI.CO. 2026 & Next Steps
As part of the A.MI.CO. curriculum, SSAW will formulate a comprehensive co-development proposal framework tailored to standard European and international funding guidelines. Operating around targeted thematic sectors—including health, education, and cultural heritage—SSAW will translate field insights into actionable, funded programs.
We extend our deep gratitude to the A.MI.CO. program organizers, our scientific and institutional partners, our field team in Chad and Sudan, and our supporters across Italy and the global diaspora.