Project sponsored by ADVENTUM Foundation and the Anti-Wear Outpatient Clinic and funded by 8xmille of the Adventist Christian Church.

The play

At the initiative of Office III of Directorate V of the MEF Treasury Department, the Adventum Foundation participated in Financial Education Month by commissioning the ELEUSIS Association to write a new play on the topic of responsible use of money and usury risk. “Beyond What is Due” is an interactive show that combines storytelling elements and theatrical excerpts, tracing the history and development of money and usury. The main goal of the staging was to integrate the emotional sphere into learning processes. Combining the rational and emotional aspects to promote content understanding and stimulate the conscious use of money. A wide-ranging reflection that starts from ancient Greece to the present day and tells History, through the stories of characters.

“Beyond What is Due” has a surprise ending; in fact, the storyteller addresses the audience by asking them to lead the young protagonist, who lives in a family under usury, toward a choice: go and report the incident to the police or leave with her mother, as her father would like, so that he can resolve the situation in his own way. The story will have the ending that the majority of the children have chosen, then the discarded ending will also be shown so that a reflection, open to interaction with the students, can be made later on this issue.

Description of activities carried out

The play, staged on Nov. 22 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. After a greeting from the president of the Adventum Foundation, Franco Evangelisti, Dr. Lavinia Monti, Head of Office III of Directorate V of the Treasury Department Ministry of Economy and Finance, who is responsible for, among other things, the MEF’s Usury Prevention Fund, introduced the topic of financial education and then provided some background to the students on the phenomenon of usury and tools for preventing it. Then the play began.

The end of the story presented a choice to the audience: the boys chose not to report. The story had its dramatic ending. Then the other possible ending was staged, which would lead instead, after various vicissitudes, to the liberation of the protagonist family from the scourge of usury. After presenting this second ending the storyteller again asked the audience what they would choose now. But most of the boys did not raise their hands in reporting.

Next, Dr. Monti took the floor to highlight some passages from the playjust performed and urge the children to think deeply about the phenomenon of over-indebtedness and usury. Finally, Professor Roberta Poli took the floor and tried to stimulate a feed back from the audience. Some young people responded by manifesting a doubt that pervaded the room: in reality, how risky is it to report? Are we sure it will come out? Isn’t this rather in danger of making the situation worse? The teacher prompted the children to reflect on the importance of reporting to get out of such highly problematic situations. Heartfelt thanks for the initiative carried out came from the institute’s head teacher, professors and especially the students.

More than 150 students attended the event, mostly from high schools, but there was also a representation of middle schoolers from a neighboring school, invited for the occasion. From the testimonies collected by the teacher who was our contact person for organizing the event, the discussion, upon leaving the theater, continued in the classrooms. Even during the theater workshop meeting that Eleusis actors conduct at the institute, several students showed interest and gratitude for the event they were able to attend.

Testimonials

“I really liked it because it was very creative, it made me understand a lot of things that I didn’t even think existed, it was
engaging.”

“It was very good, I got excited, an experience not to be missed, plus it made me understand many things I didn’t know before.”

“I really enjoyed the theater, it conveyed a lot of emotions to me especially because of the very good actors. It also taught me a lot about life and to be careful.”

“The show really made people understand what it means to wear, in an entertaining way. I really enjoyed it.”

“The show was very good, the concept of usury was explained well. The message it conveyed to me was that one should always ask for help in times of need.”

“The show was very good, the concept of usury was explained well. The message it conveyed to me was that one should always ask for help in times of need.”

“The show was very good and interesting, the message it conveyed to me is to always ask for help in time of need especially for those who take advantage of your frailties or in case of the wear and tear of your issues and economic availability.”

“Fantastic is putting it mildly. Thank you for gracing us with this vision.”

Social impact

To measure the social impact of the event we refer to new actions generated by the project carried out, which continue over time.

• Radio program aired on December 6, 2018 on Radio Voice of Hope Rome. Disseminated on the national circuit.

Video with interviews related to the theatrical event “Beyond what is due” featured on HopeMedia.com

• Interview with Filippo Rubbo, theater educator, actor director, organizer.
• Interview with three adult students from Piaget-Diaz Institute of Higher Education.
• Interview with Giorgia Gramantieri theater educator, actress and playwright and Sheida Jaafari, theater trainer and actress.
• Interview with Dr. Lavinia Monti, Head of Office III of Directorate V of the Treasury Department Ministry of Economy and
  Finance, responsible for, among other things, the MEF’s Usury Prevention Fund.
• Interview with Roberta Poli, professor of operational methodologies at Piaget-Diaz Institute of Higher Education.