Italian Woman’s Effort to Help Refugees

Women working at Colori Vivi in Turin, Italy, come from many countries, including Nigeria, Somalia and Libya. Latter-day Saint Charities is partnering with the company in new efforts in 2022. © 2022 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.

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An entrepreneur in Italy is helping refugee women learn new skills, find support and gain self-sufficiency through fashion.

“I had to find a way to help these women,” said Barbara Spezini in Italy Newsroom. “I believe God sent them to me.”

Spezini founded Colori Vivi in 2017 in Turin, Italy, to make clothing and accessories for women. The company provides tailoring jobs and training for refugee mothers from many regions, including Nigeria, Somalia and Libya.

Latter-day Saint Charities has purchased supplies and new fabrics over the years for Colori Vivi and contributed sewing and other specialized tailoring machines.

“Barbara has made helping other women her life’s work,” said Kraig Christensen, a senior humanitarian and self-reliance missionary. “It is a privilege for us to contribute to her good works and support her inspired vision.”

Kraig Christensen, a senior missionary who represents Latter-day Saint Charities, stands by Barbara Spezini in Turin, Italy, in February 2022. Spezini is the founder of Colori Vivi, a fashion company offering skills and training to refugee women. © 2022 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.

The women arriving in Italy have escaped war, spousal abuse or life on the streets. Spezini said the creativity in fashion design has been a valued skill for them as they work on building their new lives.

“One new member of our team, named Sadia, inspired a starry night fabric pattern for a particular garment,” said Spezini. “When she was fleeing a prison in Libya, she left in the dark of night with only the starlight to guide her to freedom. Sadia took that traumatic event and turned it into something inspiring and beautiful.”

Tailoring and manufacturing happen in a donated space for Colori Vivi, an Italian fashion and clothing company that provides jobs for refugee mothers in Turin, Italy. Latter-day Saint Charities has donated to the company over the years.© 2022 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.

Read more about these efforts in Italian through Italy Newsroom, or in English through UK Newsroom.

Italian Woman’s Effort to Help Refugees Gets Help from Latter-day Saint Charities

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