Project Miriam is a shelter located in Padua for women who are victims of trafficking. It is a meaningful reality in the fight against the trafficking of human beings for sexual exploitation and forced labor, which, in Italy, constitutes the third source of income for criminal organizations after the trafficking of arms and drugs. They are perverse mechanisms that violate human freedom and dignity.
Project Miriam was born in 1998, in response to a need of the territory that touches the very heart of our charism and of our roots: our founder, Frances Schervier, and her first companions had begun their adventure in Aachen sharing their own house with young prostitutes who wanted to change their lives.
From that time, we offer women on the streets an itinerary of protection and social integration in a safe place where they feel supported in the difficult journey toward autonomy. Over 28 year, hundreds of women of different origins have been helped.
At Project Miriam an occupational studio is also in operation, which is also open to women from outside the house. It is a protected space, where the women can socialize, discover, appreciate their own potential, and acquire skills by creating small decorative items with their own hands.
The women’s journeys include the process to obtain official documents, health and legal guidance, the study of the Italian language and attending educational courses, the acquisition of certain skills in the occupational studio, entry into employment activities, and the creation of a network of relationships thanks to the involvement of volunteers.
Every woman arrives at our door with a suitcase heavy with suffering and humiliation. We assist in the miracle of seeing them be reborn, bloom again, and acquire the confidence to get back in the game.
Every day I am amazed and learn from each woman about the capacity for resilience in the face of obstacles and the capacity to rejoice over little achievements that reinforce motivation, over the good news that revives hope. With the other workers, we try to be a salve for these wounds. Intense bond are created among us that generate new understandings about ourselves and the meaning of our service.
One of our recent guests was N., who fled a family of her compatriots who, for a year, had isolated her in the house, abused her, and exploited her in every way. She succeeded in escaping and pressed charges against her captors. When I met her, I felt firsthand how much suffering she was carrying with her and how she struggled to trust after enduring all this violence. I was struck by the fact that she was often in our chapel and had asked to be allowed to pray there even though she was not Christian. So, for more than a year, she knelt morning and evening before her divinities; even they had found their place at Project Miriam. One late afternoon, she broke down, crying uncontrollably. I felt that words were useless to contain all that anguish, so I took her to the chapel. We remained there in silence, and she continued to cry softly. I knew she was afraid of physical contact, but I hugged her anyway and she allowed herself to be hugged. And I cried with her. In that moment N. showed me the meaning of my being there and taught me to listen with my heart. In her time with us, N. made great strides toward autonomy, and hers is one of the many positive stories that Project Miriam can tell. Unfortunately, there are other stories that tell of failures and relapses, but this is also part of the journey. It is necessary to welcome them and, as much as possible, to continue to support them so that they find the strength to start over again. Never get discouraged! I repeat it every time with the Mother Frances’s words: “courage and faith.” It is a powerful mantra that transmits hope and helps us to believe together that a better future is possible.
Sr. Marvi Delrivo, SFP
