Since 2016, many migrants, mainly from Eritrea, Sudan and Libya, have been arriving on foot from Ventimiglia in the Roya Valley, a few kilometres from the Italian border.
Terrae Mater is an endowment fund that supports the activities of Emmaus Roya, created by Cédric Herrou, an emblematic activist in the valley, who has welcomed over 2500 migrants to his farm since 2006. Emmaus Roya is an association under the 1901 law, affiliated to the Emmaus France movement.
© Emmaüs Roya
The project
The Emmaus Roya community - the 120th but the first to be entirely peasant - employs companions, asylum seekers, refugees, homeless, in a farm near the small village of Breil-sur-Roya.
The companions, involved in the various centres, are housed, fed, socially and legally supported.
The agricultural activity is divided into market gardening - the companions grow organic tomatoes, courgettes, eggplants, squash, peppers and strawberries - olive and poultry farming, manufacture of artisanal beer and olive oil, and preparation of canned vegetables.
The farm's products are sold in short circuits in the valley's shops and in an Amap (association for the preservation of local farming).
Our engagement
The Terrae Mater Fund aims to create a new living space, an agri-food workshop and a space open to associations and farmers.
The objective is to create a territorial economic dynamic and solidarity with people in precarious situations; and to show that people in situations of exclusion can play a key role in boosting our campaigns, and guarantee social cohesion.
Since 2019, our support has amounted to €20,000.
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