Communications

The acronym embraces fantasy and the power of ideals, but its existence lies embedded in the fatigue and necessity within the painful folds of reality. The Dream project (Drug Resource Enhancement against Aids and Malnutrition) addresses the spread of HIV in Africa, the continent where, according to one statistic, the virus has produced 25.8 million HIV-positive people in Sub-Saharan areas alone (64% of the world total): a disaster of epic proportions which has found a highly powerful ally in the wretched social degradation that accompanies it.
Since the Community of Sant'Egidio started Dream in the year 2000, it has been the leading free programme in addressing the prevention and treatment of Aids in Africa, in global terms.

The programme was first set up in Mozambique but has since been extended to other African countries. Its aims are the prevention, diagnosis and cure of the infection by carrying out specific tests and providing those infected as well as pregnant women with antiretroviral medicines, which have produced extremely positive results throughout the world.

Combating the mother-to-child transmission of the virus and at the same time addressing the mother's problems from a pharmacological point of view (Africa has an appallingly high percentage of orphans due to Aids), is, in particular, one of the key points in an approach that guarantees comprehensive treatment for those mothers and young children included in the project.

The results are absolutely clear (97% of children born to HIV-positive or sick mothers receiving the correct treatment are healthy) and confirm to the world the fundamental importance of extending this kind of assistance to the highest possible number of people.

The programme, which includes Finmeccanica among its supporters, also envisages the creation of clinics and molecular-biology laboratories, nutritional support for the sick and the setting up of home assistance.

In particular, the Group's contribution has already made it possible to purchase premises for the creation of a Dream Centre near the town of Conakry, in Guinea, as well as to start the reconstruction work and set up training courses for the staff involved in the project.

In support of the various initiatives linked to the Dream project, Finmeccanica also contributed to the creation of an art exhibition Abbasso il grigio (Down with Grey) in which 500 disabled artists exhibited works on the theme "The African Continent: its nature and peoples, its problems and resources, its history and future".