Costruiamo una Casa per bambini orfani con disabilità

Ciao

siamo Simona e Michele, una veterinaria esperta in comportamento animale e Pet Therapy, e un ingegnere che per passione si è specializzato in Pet Therapy.

Abbiamo 3 figli: Valentina, Federico e Asia, una bimba con disabilità che abbiamo adottato nel 2015 e che ha cambiato la nostra vita e la nostra visione del mondo facendoci conoscere le difficoltà dei bambini orfani con disabilità.

Purtroppo abbiamo avuto esperienza diretta di come il sistema non riesca a garantire le adeguate cure affettive, riabilitative ed educative ad un numero di bambini sempre più grande.

Questo ha fatto nascere in noi il desiderio di aiutarli e abbiamo fondato in Sardegna, dove viviamo, la cooperativa Killia, che in sardo significa culla, per far star bene e aiutare le persone più fragili grazie all’aiuto di esperti/e e dei nostri animali con cui facciamo pet therapy.

Con Killia vogliamo realizzare un sogno: creare una casa famiglia per bambini e bambine che hanno delle disabilità, orfani/e o momentaneamente allontanati/e dalla propria famiglia.

Un anno fa abbiamo iniziato la ristrutturazione di una casa a Selargius (vicino a Cagliari), un luogo capace di accogliere nel miglior modo possibile bambini e bambine con disabilità.

Noi vivremo con loro insieme ai nostri figli, i nostri animali-terapeuti, accompagnati e guidati da figure professionali diverse in base ai bisogni specifici di ciascun bambino.

Il nostro obiettivo è quello di diventare una famiglia “ponte” dando a questi/e bambini/e tutto il sostegno necessario per dare loro più speranza di essere adottati.

Abbiamo già speso oltre 400 mila euro per eliminare le barriere architettoniche, sistemare tetto e impianti, e adeguare gli spazi alle esigenze dei bambini.

Nel tempo i prezzi dei materiali sono aumentati sempre di più, ma soprattutto in corso d'opera è emersa la necessità di dover fare lavori imprescindibili dovuti al fatto che la struttura era molto vecchia.

Grazie agli aiuti di tante persone che stanno credendo e valorizzando questo sogno siamo riusciti a coprire buona parte dei nuovi costi, ma ora siamo in difficoltà e per questo vi chiediamo aiuto.

Ci sono delle cose necessarie che in questo momento non riusciamo a pagare e senza le quali la casa non può essere aperta: per gli infissi e l’impianto di climatizzazione ci servono ancora 30 mila euro e il vostro supporto andrà a sostenere esattamente queste spese.

Anche il più piccolo aiuto può essere molto importante e decisivo.

Grazie di cuore per quello che potete fare per sostenerci!

Hi! We are Simona, a veterinarian specializing in animal behavior and pet therapy, and Michele, an engineer who became passionate about pet therapy. We have three children: Valentina, Federico, and our adopted daughter Asia, who was born with disabilities. When Asia joined our family in 2015 she changed our lives and our view of the world, by making us aware of the challenges faced by parentless children with disabilities.

Unfortunately, since then, we have experienced firsthand how the system here in Italy is unable to provide adequate emotional, rehabilitative, and educational care to the growing number of children like Asia who are in need. Our desire to help these children inspired us to found the Killia cooperative in Sardinia, the beautiful land we call home.

"Killia" means cradle in Sardinian, and that's exactly what we seek to offer these most vulnerable children: a safe place that feels like home, where they can grow and heal with the support of skilled professionals and our pet therapy animals.

Thanks to the dedication and professionalism of our team, we are already providing assistance to many people in many different situations, from providing pet therapy for rehabilitation in juvenile correctional institutions, to assisting students from nursery age all the way to high school, to helping the elderly, people with disabilities, and families who seek our support.

At Killia, we have a dream: to create a family home for children with disabilities who are orphans or temporarily separated from their families.

The situation regarding adoptions in Italy is extremely sad, and the official data confirms this. In 2016, there were more than 8,300 national adoption applications, but only seven were open to minors with disabilities. Currently, about 424 children with special needs in Italy are adoptable. We strongly believe that while these children wait for their new families, they have every right to be loved and, above all, to be welcomed with their challenges.

A year ago, we began renovating a house in Selargius (near Cagliari), a place designed to welcome children with disabilities in all the best possible ways.

This is where the Killia Family Home will become a reality. Under one roof, along with our own children and pet therapy animals, we will provide the kind of loving space these children need, with a team of professionals guiding us and addressing each child’s specific needs. Our goal is to be a “bridge” family, giving these children the support they need and increasing their chances of being adopted.

The house includes an open space for sharing daily life as a family, six large bedrooms, and private areas for each child’s well-being. We’ve already invested over 400,000 euros to remove architectural barriers, repair the roof and infrastructure, and adapt the spaces to meet the children's needs.

These funds came from our personal savings, a mortgage, and the generous support of those who believe in the Killia Family House project, including DoTerra Essential Oils, cultural and theatrical associations like Lapola and Tamurita, accommodation facilities such as Chia Laguna Resort, various wineries, and many other supporters. A particularly meaningful contribution comes from personal donations made by people who choose to raise funds on their birthdays, anniversaries, or simply out of love for the project.

We are excited to be nearing the completion of the renovation, but unfortunately the final cost has increased by 46% compared to the initial estimate. Prices for materials have risen steadily, and additional work was needed due to the building's age.

Thanks to the many people who believe in and support this dream—which is no longer just ours but has become a collective vision—we’ve managed to cover a significant portion of the additional expenses. However, we still need help to meet all the costs, which is why we are asking for your support.

Installing new windows, along with the heating and air conditioning system, is currently beyond our budget, but without them, the house cannot open. We still need 30,000 euros to complete our project, and your support here will go directly towards covering these expenses.

Even the smallest contribution can make a big difference to the project and the children we will be hosting in our new Family Home. Thank you so much for anything you can do to support us!