2017 has been a record year for the Andrea Bocelli Foundation in terms of overall funds raised, number and importance of projects, growth of the operating team and structure.

Last year we have expanded our activities with important projects also in Italy: ABF, in partnership with Only the Brave Foundation, has built in only 150 days a new school for the students of Sarnano, a village in central Italy heavily hit by the earthquake in 2016. The school designed according to the most modern earthquake-proof techniques, and in collaboration with the Extraordinary Government Commissioner for Reconstruction, has ben donated “turnkey” to the local administration. The building is devoted to the students, but, at the same time, is open to the whole community, with high quality meeting areas, equipment and laboratories for Information technology, music, culture and sport.

The project is consistent with the ABF mission “empowering people and communities”; this mission inspires us initiatives not only addressing the emergency needs, but mainly the mid-long term period, with the aim of creating or reinstating the conditions for the full expression of individual and collective talents.

In 2017 ABF has also continued its activities in Haiti, where we have inaugurated the new Saint Raphael school, to provide the education to additional 450 young students. In the meantime, we have continued to provide education, food and healthcare to 2550 students in the five schools built and managed together with our local partner St.Luke Foundation.

The Mobile Clinic project has ensured 8000 medical consultations to the most remote communities in Haiti; the Water Truck project has guaranteed the distribution of 21,000 gallons of potable water every day in the huge slum of Cite’ de Soleil; the HIV prevention project in the St. Damien paediatric hospital supported 800 families.

The Children’s Choir “Voices of Haiti” in 2017 continued its development with the first tour in Europe, including an exhibition in the Vatican City, in front of Pope Francis.

We like to think of ABF as a “living lab”, which creatively combines ideas and resources, and where each contribution is valuable as it makes both the donor and the recipient benefiting from the process.

ABF is today a solid and growing entity, with important achievements, a credibility gained through results, an operating office with ten full time employees and consultants, twelve volunteers active weekly and additional forty supporting the special events.

In only seven years ABF has reached significant results and raised a total funds of €20 million, of which € 6 million in 2017, 80% already allocated to ongoing projects. Last year revenues have grown by €1.1 million, with net equity and liquidity growing respectively by €0.7 million and 0.6 million. The year ended with € 218,000 profit.

These results allow us to look at the major challenges ahead with trust and courage, confident that, together we will be able to complete even more important projects in Italy and abroad.

We hope you will continue to stand by us!

signed by the Chairman Stefano Aversa

Report 2017