Our Story

In 1945, Monsignor John Patrick Carroll-Abbing founded Boys' & Girls' Towns of Italy in Rome and in Civitavecchia to provide "a chance in life" to the homeless children living on the streets of post-World War II Italy. He believed that if young people were supported to take responsibility for their lives and their communities, they would grow into caring, self-sufficient adults. Self-government has been the source of success at our Towns for over 70 years.

Today in our Towns in Italy, we empower poor, refugee and migrant youth. These children have escaped war, poverty and persecution and now live together and run their own Towns. In the last four years, A Chance In Life expanded its programs to South Asia, Northeast Africa and Latin America. Boys’ & Girls’ Towns of Ethiopia is changing the lives of 400 young people in one of the poorest countries in the world. Boys' & Girls' Towns of India is helping over 1,000 children, mostly girls, receive the support they need to stay in school. Last year, our Board approved the expansion of our programs to support more than 1,700 marginalized children in Peru, Bolivia, Colombia and

Self-government has been the source of success at our Towns for 74 years. It is the essence of life in the Towns and provides the citizens, as the young people are called, with the skills, confidence and creativity to become active participants in their communities.

Monsignor Carroll-Abbing’s approach to human development was simple yet powerful: if young people are supported to take responsibility for their lives and their communities, they will grow into caring, self-sufficient adults.

While the approach takes shape differently in each Town, self-government gives young people the opportunity to have a voice in creating their future. By meeting regularly, writing their own by-laws, electing their own leaders and deciding their own agendas, our young people develop self-esteem and mutual respect. Throughout the years in their Town they know that they are trusted, that their dignity is respected and that their capabilities are encouraged.

Self-Government 7

4million refugeechildrenareoutofschool.

OurTownsprovideacademictutoringandpsychological supporttohelpourcitizensadjusttoschoolintheirnew country.