Portrait Gallery
Massimo
Co-Director of Direct Action Sererit
Massimo, Father Aldo Giuliani's nephew, never really knew his "African" paternal uncle whom he had only met on very few occasions when returning to Italy.
Having lost his father at a very young age, this end of January 19 journey was to become an exceptionally emotional moment for Massimo : a family reunion, getting to know his father again through his uncle's stories and discovering the Samburu people so fascinating and endearing.
Olivier
Co-Director of Direct Action Sererit
Massimo' s friend and a frequent traveller, Olivier helped him organize the trip at the end of January 2019, eager to live a "real" adventure in the heart of Kenya.
This journey was above all about human encounters . Firstly with Father Aldo Giuliani and "Zia" Maria Letizia Morando, two people entirely dedicated to helping others, and secondly with the Samburu children who were so smiling and so welcoming.
It was upon their return from this trip that Massimo and Olivier decided to help Father Aldo Giuliani and the volunteers working with him in aid of the Samburu people and their children.
They created Direct Action Sererit.
Aldo
When a missionary from his village, who had been present in Africa for several years, came to his school to present his mission and seek volunteers to support the local populations, Aldo Giuliani, then aged 9, immediately offered himself. The following year he entered the seminary to start his journey.
He has been living in Kenya since 1968 under the auspices of the Instituto Missioni Della Consolata , a Clerical Religious Congregation of Pontifical Rights founded in 1901 by the beatified Italian priest Giuseppe Allamano. The congregation has in the region of 1000 members worldwide .
Father Giuliani's sole aim is to help others and at 78 his dedication is as wholehearted as ever.
Maria Letizia
Vice-Treasurer of Direct Action Sererit
As Department Head at a pediatric
hospital in Piedment (Italy), Maria Letizia Morando spent her holidays in Africa assisting various hospitals. This is how she came across Father Giuliani.
Retired since the early 2000s, Maria Letizia spends 5 months of the year at the Mission in Sererit helping out at the dispensary and in the day-to-day management . She spends the remaining 7 months raising funds in Italy .
Maria Letizia already manages personally the scholarships for 85 children. As the Vice-Treasurer of Direct Action Sererit, she also takes care on site of the scholarships financed by the organization.
John
John was a brilliant student at Sererit and wanted to be able to help his tribe. With the financial support of Father Aldo Giuliani, John was able to study medicine and become a nurse.
Today he manages the mission dispensary with a free hand and provides all the health care offered by the mission while continuing to learn so as to do more.
David
A Samburu native from Sererit but who grew up in another part of the region, David met Father Aldo Giuliani whilst in pastoral trainee-ship with another priest towards the end of his catechist training.
Since then he came back to Sererit and never left it again. He is very involved with the youth and the community.
Nmukia & Samuel
Both were injured by lightning whilst out in the pastures and were among the first children to be helped by the mission. Following the accident and due to the physical challenges of returning back to grazing land, they continued their studies.
Nmukia works with John as a nurse's aide at the clinic.
Samuel works with Father Aldo Giuliani on all the operational aspects of the mission and is in charge of the teams involved in the various projects.
