The Chimbote Charity Project
[carta a mano nelle ande onlus]
The Chimbote Charity Project was created on April 7, 2008 to support the construction of a paper factory in Peru. It was signed up for the Onlus Register on April 26, 2008, managed by the Lombardy Charity Department.
The starting project was formed by Angelo Moncini and three of his friends: the engineer Alberto Giacometti, the surveyor and engineer Giovanni Nitti and the chemist Gianfranco Rossetti. Today, they form the governing body of the organization.
Other friends, some previously involved in the paper business, eagerly joined the project with all their experience. They are Arturo Ballabio, Davide Bodini, Alberto Botta, Giancarlo Carcano, Giorgio Carcano, Roberto Cioffi, Rosa Guarisco, Mario Luppi, Pierluigi Mascetti, Massimiliana Orsenigo, Giorgio Quarello, Giovanna Roveran, Paola Valenti and Giorgio Zucchi.
The first problem the organization faced was finding the financial resources as the investment was over 300.000 euros. Milan Cariplo Institution financed 50% of it and the remaining 50% was financed by partners, friends and acquaintances – thanks to word-of-mouth advertising. No public institution financed the project, except for Maslianico municipality.
The technical challenges have also been addressed - thanks to the help of Fabriano and Lima Universities, the help of papermaking technicians, watermark experts, graphic designers, printers, builders, electricians, chemists and business experts.
The paper mill is a reinforced concrete building of 7000 square feet. It was built on an area provided by the Chimbote Diocese, whose bishop, Monsignor Angel Francisco Piorno, has always offered his help.
Gianni Nitti made the project and the Peruvian architect Pepe Guibovich was in charge of the work. The skilled workers came from Lima while the unskilled workers consisted of local young men who built their workplace to provide for their community and for themselves as paper manufacturers. Giancarlo Aliverti installed the electrical system and the engineer, Pier Mascetti, tested the building.
The Hollander beater, essential to papermaking, was built according to the plans of Alberto Giacometti and Giovanni Nitti and was assembled by Officine Damiano Fasana of Tavernola (Como). The project was partly financed by Como Confederation of Italian Industry and by companies that contribute raw materials.Other machineries were designed by the association and built in Peru, or purchased from the market. The “Museo del Carattere - Tipoteca museum"" of Cornuda, Treviso, donated some of the graphic and paper-transformation equipment as its President Silvio Antiga generously joined the project.
Giampaolo Gasperini from Prato, Renato Oldrini from Legnano, the Nuovaedart Society and others donated additional equipment. Maslianico Council contributed a prototype of a continuos forming machine that will later be put into production.
The purpose of the Charity Handmade Paper in the Andes did not end when the paper mill became operative. It supported the staff during the start-up phase of the technical and economic cycle, ending its operations only in december 2021.Nowadays, the peruvian staff is autonomous and the paper mill is employing up to 20 people. They are financially indipendent and able to support the parish in its charitable initiatives.
