Lives On The Edge
In Torino like in many other cities in Italy there are a number of illegal settlements of Roma people. One of them, situated along the river Stura was estimated to include over 500 people in highly unhealthy conditions. For over 20 years rats and people have co-inhabited the camp’s shacks made with recovered material from dumps. In 2015 the local administration decided to demolish the camp which was evacuated and flattened by bulldozers.The Roma community dispersed. No hard data are available, it was just one more forced eviction. Yes, the Roma are still more often than not itinerant nomadic people - not their choice.
The photographic project Lives On The Edge was facilitated by the cooperation with a local NGO which ran a one-room kindergarten in the camp. The teacher, Giovanna (not her real name), introduced me to the people of the camp and showed me how ordinary their daily lives appeared to be. But for the leaking roofs, extreme winter cold, diseases, violence, hungry rats and illegal activities being run in broad daylight.
A.I.Z.O.
(ASSOCIAZIONE ITALIANA ZINGARI OGGI ONLUS)
carlafiorina@me.com
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