- January 1986, established by initiative of a group of adoptive parents;
- January 1991, Moral Body by a Decree of the Italian Home Office;
- March 1992, Accredited Body for Intercountry Adoption by an Interministry Decree of the Foreign Office and the Ministry of Justice;
- August 1993, Non-governmental Organisation by the Decree n. 2774/1 of the Italian Foreign Office
- January 1994, Volunteering Body by a Regione Lombardia Decree;
- October 2000 reconfirmed as Authorized Agency for Intercountry Adoption;
- January 2001 credited by the United Nations Public Information Department.

The Association's commitments arise from the recognition of:
- the central role of the child;
- the right of each child to live, to grow-up and to be educated inside his/her own family in order to have the concrete possibility of coming to a better state in social life.

The commitments that arise from the above principles are:
- To support a mother and / or a father, in whatever part of the world they live, in order that they may be able to raise and bring up their own child.
- To operate and to intervene to make it possible for an abandoned minor to find the love of a family anywhere and as soon as possible;
- To inform and raise the awareness of the civil society towards the problems of minors with difficulties in their family, thereby taking up due responsibility in the promotion of minors' rights and of a welcoming culture.

The association's commitments are implemented in three action fields:

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

Organising, promoting and handling decentralised cooperation projects, addressed to the minors of developing countries and in emergency areas. Such projects are funded by Distance Support sponsorship.
The Association operates in Albania, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Colombia, DRC, Kenya, Republic of Kosovo, Morocco, Moldova, Mongolian, Nepal, Perù, Romania, Russian Federation, Sri Lanka, Ukraine.

INTERCOUNTRY ADOPTION

Organising activities in order to supply information to, to raise awareness in, and to train would-be adoptive parents and to carry out in full all the procedures requested for intercountry adoption in the following countries:

Europe: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Republic of Kosovo, Russian Federation, Moldova, Serbia, Ukraine.

America: Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Perù.

Asia: China, Cambodia, Mongolian, Nepal, Sri Lanka.

Africa: DRC, Kenya.

PROMOTION OF THE RIGHTS OF THE MINOR

Organising conferences, meetings, debates; issuing publications concerning the problems of the minors in difficulty; marshalling neighbourhood services.

Bari, Bologna, Bolzano, Firenze, Messina, Mestre, Mezzano (MI), Roma, Palermo, Salerno, Torino.

It is a solidarity act towards a child in difficulty, in order to promote his / her human development in the country where they live.
Thanks to periodical donations made available made by sponsors, Amici dei Bambini volunteers will guarantee to the child in difficulty, inserted in a project, the necessary services to ensure his / her development and social integration by:
- meeting primary needs (food, clothing, medical care …);
- study support and completion;
- psychosocial assistance;
- animation and integration activities;
- professional training.

The Distance Support projects are of two kinds: directly oriented to a child and to an educational or a health institution hosting a number of children.
- By a monthly 50-Euro contribution you will be matched with a chil inserted in a project who needs specific interventions (family tutoring, food, health, school support) and you will receive a photograph of this child and an introductory file about his / her family.
By receiving periodical information you will be in close contact with the child, you will able to correspond, and each year you will receive an update report drawn up by the project manager.
- By a monthly 25-Euro contribution you will on the other hand be able to support a health or an educational institution.
As sponsors you will be "matched" then with a child hospital, a community for the recovery of disabled children, a children's home , a youth centre, about which you will receive an introductory file with photographs of the children hosted and will be able to follow step by step the evolution of your project by means of information reports and periodical newsletters.
Distance Support sponsoring instalments may be paid every three months, six months or once a year.

To join a sponsorship programme, one needs to sign a commitment you may find enclosed to the Distance Support projects and send it by:

- MAIL to: Amici dei Bambini - Casella Postale 77 - 20077 Melegnano (MI)

- FAX - number 003902 98.23.26.11

- E-mail - aibi@aibi.it

Within 15 days from reception Amici dei Bambini will take care of the matching and will send to the sponsor the following items:
- for child sponsorships, a photograph and an introductory file on his / her family;
- for sponsorships of an educational / health institution, an introductory file with photographs of the children hosted.
- A photocopy of the sponsorship contract signed by Amici dei Bambini's legal representative with the accompanying matching documents.
The first payment will be made only after receiving such documents.

For as long as the need lasts or for the duration of the project in which the child is inserted.
Yet, at any moment, a sponsor may withdraw from the Distance Support sponsorship, by giving three-months notice, to enable Amici dei Bambini to find a different sponsor.

Every week on our website www.aibi.it you will find information directly updated by the project manager and every year you will receive an update with a description of the activities carried out, drawn up the project manager.
Besides you will be sent "Ai.Bi. News", an updating periodical magazine on the Association's own projects reserved for Friends of Children and any correspondence sent to you by the child or by his / her family.
Finally, you will have the opportunity to visit the project with the assistance of the volunteers on fieldwork: for those who wish it is possible to visit the country where the project is implemented and to gain a close-up knowledge of the various activities organised for the children.

Amici dei Bambini is a recognised NGO in compliance with Law 49 / 87 with a Decree of the Foreign Ministry n. 2774 / 1 of 09.08.1993.
Therefore the amount of the donation may be deducted from net income tax in compliance with art. 30 of Law 26 February 1987 n. 49.
Amici dei Bambini is also an ONLUS (a non-profit organisation) in compliance with the Legislative Decree of 4 December 1997 n. 460.

Joining a Distance Support sponsorship project will entitle you to receive the "Friend of Children" card every year as a sign of your support to our Association.

Phone +39.02.988221 Fax +39.02.98232611 web www.aibi.it email aibi@aibi.it