TIENDA GRATIS

The city of Rome, like many others, experiences enormous contradictions in terms of social and income, which generate extreme overconsumption and poverty. The levels of absolute poverty in Italy and in the Capital are constantly increasing, and material deprivation ends up not guaranteeing many a sufficient standard of living, a right of every individual. Among the elements that constitute an adequate standard of living, also according to international conventions on human rights, there is clothing. Being adequately dressed, for example in relation to the climatic season, represents one of the minimum standards of living. Despite this, there are still many individuals whose economic difficulties affect the usability of their rights and who, consequently, experience difficulties in finding clothes for themselves or for their family members, including children.

On the other hand, there is a problem related to overconsumption, especially in relation to the clothing sector, with a great demand for garments and a reduced life cycle that fuels waste of resources and increases pollution.

In a context characterized by enormous waste of resources on one hand and difficulty in finding them on the other, Intersos Lab has found a solution that synthesizes the two poles of the problem. Within the T-essere il territorio project, the Tienda Gratis was born in the headquarters of Via della Stazione di Ottavia 129. It consists of a "shop" where it is possible to buy clothes, shoes, accessories and games for children for free, thanks to the solidarity of the inhabitants of the neighborhood. The Tienda is currently aimed only at the 0-6 age group, to support families with economic difficulties in finding clothing for their children.

The project of the Tienda Gratis , which will start in the next few weeks, manages to achieve several objectives together : the main one is to support the vulnerable communities of the neighborhood , offering them clothes for their children at no cost. This is done taking into account elements such as dignity and inclusion. In fact, the clothes will not be delivered in anonymous envelopes as often happens, but folded, arranged on shelves, labeled, making the user live a real shopping experience. They will be able to choose independently, or with the support of the staff if necessary, what they think is best useful for their children, selecting from the products on display that will be ordered as in a real commercial establishment.

The second objective of the Tienda Gratis concerns the promotion of environmental education, recycling and reuse , as advocated by the T-essere il territorio project . Through this “second-hand shop” in fact, an experiment of circular economy within the neighborhood will be activated, reducing waste and new consumption to a minimum. The aim is to encourage an exchange of products still in excellent condition, to extend their life cycle.

The experiment of the Tienda gratis has already taken place in the past and has achieved great success, producing a positive impact on the community both in social and environmental terms.

The “store”, as mentioned, is supported by the solidarity of the inhabitants of the neighborhood, with periodic collections of clothes and toys. The volunteer staff of Intersos Lab selects only the clothes in the best conditions, to offer the beneficiaries quality items. You can therefore contribute to the creation of the Tienda through donations of clothes in good condition: Intersos Lab will organize collection days that will be communicated through the website and social networks. To participate in the donations, keep in touch with us, or make an appointment!